Britain’s Duchess of Cornwall has called on the nation to "build a future" in which sex crimes are not tolerated.
Duchess Camilla – who is the wife of Prince Charles – has spent the last five years working with victims of rape and is keen to change attitudes after learning about their "harrowing experiences".
She said: "Rape and sexual abuse: these are words that make most of us feel uncomfortable. Until recently, they were issues which were not really discussed but now, I hope there is a change in the air.
"This challenging subject has been brought to the fore in recent years with some shocking news stories; these last for a few weeks but for those who have been the victims of rape and sexual abuse the traumatic effects can be long-lasting, not to say life-long. They leave their indelible mark."
The 68-year-old royal has been working with organisations including Rape Crisis, the NHS and the police to help survivors through their ordeals with the help of counselling and other methods of support.
Writing in the Daily Mail newspaper, the Duchess shared: "During these visits I have been very impressed by the professionalism and commitment of the individuals who provide a lifeline to the women, children and men who have been left traumatised and often made to feel worthless through no fault of their own."
And Camilla has now helped to pioneer a new scheme which aims to distribute to toiletries to rape victims to use after medical examinations.
She added: "It is a small something to make women and girls who go through such a terrible ordeal feel just a little bit more human again.
"It won’t change what has happened but might offer a small crumb of comfort.
"I have said it before and I will say it again: we must try to build a future where we will simply not tolerate rape and sexual abuse any longer."
Duchess Camilla: Rape and sexual abuse cannot be tolerated
