Last updated at 12:22, Wednesday, 12 November 2008

CUMBRIA’S top cop says rape and sexual abuse victimsreceive an excellent care service – despite having to travel to Preston.

Chief Constable Craig Mackey says because there is a centre in Lancashire there is no need for a specialist facility in South Cumbria.

Last year there were 31 acute rape, abuse or serious sexual assault victims in South Cumbria – three times more than expected.

Cumbria’s top officer was speaking out at a major rape and abuse conference in Bowness on Friday.

His views were backed by Detective Inspector Graham Coles, of south Cumbria’s Public Protection Unit, based in Barrow. His unit deal solely with rape and sex abuse victims, and he too feels the current service provided is excellent.

Last year all 31 acute rape, abuse or serious sexual assault victims from south Cumbria were cared for in Preston’s Sexual Assault Forensic Examination centre. Three were male, the conference heard.

Dr Allyson Jones, clinical director of the SAFE centre, said this was three times the amount they thought they would see. The majority of victims were aged between 13 and 18.

Thirty per cent were 11 and under when abused, although many of these were referred as adults. Three-quarters were aged 18 or under.

Mr Mackey said: “If we can get a local facility in Cumbria it should for preference be in the north or west, purely because for anyone south of Kendal, we have the opportunity of using the centre at Preston.

“Preston is the nearest facility we have got. Victims in South Cumbria can already use that facility. It’s a centre of excellence, a gold standard referral centre. It’s got access to the full range of services – medical, forensic provision, genito-urinary protection and legal help.

“The service the victims get really does offset the long travel. It offers a far better standard of service to sexual assault victims than taking someone to a room in a police station, which is all we have in north and west Cumbria.

“If we can get a centre in the north and west of the county it offers opportunity for taking victims from the whole of Cumbria.”

Even getting one similar to Preston’s SAFE centre would be “challenging”, Mr Mackey said.

“They are expensive to set up because of the range of specialists that are needed to work together. The building and site are the easy bit.

“It’s not just a police activity. We have got to talk with the health service. We would need things like forensic, medical practitioners, paediatricians, so the centre would have to be somewhere there is a throng of these people.

“As well as the specialist medical support there are advisers, counsellors and clinicians.”

DI Cole said: “The facility in Preston is fantastic for victims of sexual assault. It is a gold standard service. Although victims do have to travel this is offset by the treatment they receive.

“The west and north of the county just don’t have the luxury we have in Preston. We are more than happy with the service and have never heard a detrimental comment about the service. What we are hoping to do is have someone locally to deal with victim’s problems and issues afterwards and up until the court case.”

Not all victims are referred to the centre by police. Victims can self-refer by contacting 01772 523344, emailing safe@lthtr.nls.uk, visiting www.safecentre.co.uk or writing to Sexual Assault Forensic Examination centre, Royal Preston Hospital, Sharoe Green Lane, Fulwood, Preston.

First published at 11:45, Wednesday, 12 November 2008
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk