Agencies supporting victims of sexual abuse and assault say frontline services are being lost because of dwindling government funding.
They say the closure of some essential services could lead to mental health problems and even suicide among rape and sexual abuse victims.
Agencies say while Government funding this year has remained the same or decreased, the demand for their services has increased.
New Zealand's largest such service, Auckland Sex Abuse Help, says from December it can no longer afford to run its 24-hour crisis hotline and has to lay off specialist staff.
The service was threatened with closure in 2011 after ACC cut funding for sex abuse counselling, but after a public outcry the Government set up a cross-agency group to discuss a long-term solution.
However, manager Aimee Stockenstroom says nothing has materialised and frontline services will suffer.
She says the shortfall of $116,000 represents about 30% of the funding needed to run the crisis line and support service.
The Wellington branch says it too is facing a funding shortfall and cannot afford to hire staff to fill current vacancies.
Its general manager, Helen Sullivan, says as a result, it will eventually have to turn away victims.
Rape Prevention Education executive director Kim McGregor says the helpline gets about 12,000 calls a year and any reduction in services will hurt vulnerable victims of crime.
The sector has lost about $6 million a year since the ACC changes.
Dr McGregor says many services have been forced to close because no single government department has responsibility for funding them.
The Wellington branch says it too is facing a funding shortfall and cannot afford to hire staff to fill current vacancies.
Its General Manager, Helen Sullivan, says as a result, it will eventually have to turn away victims.
A criminology lecturer at Victoria University, Jan Jordan, says if victims feel like they have no where to go when they need support it could lead to suicide, or long-term mental health problems.
