RAPE victims will have to disclose their ordeal to government officials to receive Child Tax Credits under controversial new laws.

The legislation, which comes into force later this week, will cap entitlement at two children, and deny women financial support for any subsequent children unless she can prove that this child was a result of rape.

Reliant on a third-party reporting system, this policy would put local Women’s Aid and Rape Crisis groups in a position where they must certify to the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) that a child had been born of rape or coercion in order for women to receive appropriate benefits.

Karen Gardner of East Ayrshire Women’s Aid said: “We support hundreds of women who have experienced domestic abuse each year.

“Telling someone about the trauma of physical, emotional and sexual abuse is really difficult and it can take a long time for women to make the brave step to seek our support.

“We are unable to make this even more difficult by supporting a policy that forces women to disclose sexual violence in order to access benefits”

Forcing victims of violence or abuse to run the risk of being re-traumatised is a policy with a complete lack of understanding or empathy for rape, domestic abuse and coercion and could also plunge victims into poverty, says Sandy Brindley of Rape Crisis Scotland.

Marsha Scott of Scottish Women’s Aid added: “We’ve made no secret of our views on this policy; forcing a woman to disclose that her child was born of rape or coercion in any circumstance is cruel.

“East Ayrshire Women’s Aid have our full and unwavering support in their decision not to prop up a policy that is in our view ethically unjustifiable.”