A new centre designed to support victims of sexual assault and rape has opened in York.
Acer House will serve as a vital hub for both supporting victims and gathering evidence. The centre features facilities for healthcare and forensic medical examinations, as well as video interview rooms and family waiting rooms.
The opening of the centre was made possible due to a £3m investment from York and North Yorkshire Combined Authority, and is expected to increase the capacity of existing victim services fourfold.
North Yorkshire Mayor David Skaith, Deputy Mayor for Police Jo Coles, and North Yorkshire Police Chief Constable Tim Forber all agreed that Acer House will not only help victims, but also help bring more perpetrators to justice.
The centre allows evidence to be gathered medically and forensically on-site, which increases the chances of convictions if a case goes to court.
All the evidence is then stored securely, so it can be used if victims decide to press charges in future.
Acer House houses York and North Yorkshire’s Adult Sexual Assault Referal Centre (SARC), as well as Child Sexual Assault Assessment Services.
It replaces an existing centre in the city and will be located on the outskirts of York. Acer House is near major transport links and will be open all hours for sexual assault and rape vicitms.
It’s been designed with comfort in mind, and specifically made to create an environment that feels different from a hospital or police station.
It features soft furnishings, private waiting rooms, and toys for children.
Facilities include two dedicated medical examination suites, as well as a non-medical examination room for historic cases of child sexual abuse.
There are also two interview suites equipped with video apparatus for police to record statements.
In addition, the centre offers an outdoor area and four separate waiting rooms for accompanying friends and family members.
Acer House will provide services including one-to-one crisis support, emergency sexually transmitted infection (STI) testing, contraception, and onward referrals for further help.
Victims aged 16 and over can attend the centre without a referral, while those under 16 must be referred by police officers, health professionals or social care workers.
Mayor David Skaith said the opening came as demand for services, like those provided at Acer House, was rising.
He said, “Having a facility that’s fit-for-purpose, that can support victims first and foremost and also gather evidence is going to be vital for the police going forward so they can have a stronger case when prosecuting offenders.
“This will support victims, both those from North Yorkshire and those who aren’t from here but have been abused here, because it doesn’t matter where someone has been affected, what matters is that they get the best support possible.
“The centre’s designed to create an environment where people feel safe, they can come through the door and get mental health support and other services that don’t leave them as they leave the building.
“It will support victims who are going through one of the most traumatic experiences of their lives.”
Chief Constable Forber agreed that the centre was a vital part of protecting the victims of sexual assaults, rapes and violence.
He said, “Being the victim of these crimes is an absolutely traumatic experience.
“This centre will allow us to gather necessary evidence but in a way that respects victims’ needs and provides them with broader support. I’ve been a police officer for 30 years and these are the best facilities I’ve seen in my career.
“We have seen a reduction in these crimes but in my view one attack is one too many and if they want the police to press an investigation the evidence that we can gather here will really help us with that.”
The Deputy Mayor, Jo Coles, said the centre was designed to try and build victims’ confidence so that more of them would come forward, meaning more perpetrators could be brought to justice.
She said, “Last year we know there were more than 300 referrals to our Sexual Assault Referral Centre, hundreds more reports to the police of rape and sexual assault, and tragically, almost certainly many more cases that were never reported.
“We need to have the best facilities in place that we can so that when people are ready to talk to the police we have the highest chance of getting prosecutions.
“These facilities are designed to ensure that the evidence gathered here has the highest-possible chance of standing up in court.
“We have a charge rate of about 9 per cent for rape and 13 per cent for all sexual offences, we need to improve victims’ confidence so we can target more perpetrators.”
Referrals to the service can be made directly to the facility by contacting Mountain Healthcare on 0330 223 0362 or by visiting their website here.