More on KentOnline
More on KentOnline
Kent's first dedicated 24-hour centre for rape victims has opened after years of being the only county in the region without one.
The county had been without a full-time Sexual Assault Referral Centre – with charities calling for better services in the county.
Kent police commissioner Ann Barnes earlier this year pledged to provide a round-the-clock centre after admitting facilities for victims were "not good enough".
Now a centre where police can take rape victims has opened.
It will not be fully fuctional – being able to accept people who want to see a medic before reporting an attack – until early next year.
Mrs Barnes has refused to confirm the location until the centre is fully open, but it is understood to be in Maidstone.
The County Town was tipped as the ideal location in July, when an existing centre at Darent Valley Hospital, in Dartford, shut its doors after 10 years.
Mrs Barnes said: "I take my hat off to all the partners who were very serious about making sure Kent has a proper assault referral centre.
"It has opened now for the police to take victims there but it won’t be fully functional until after Christmas."
Despite there being a few months to go until the doors fully open, the news has been welcomed by Gravesend charity Family Matters, which offers counselling for victims of sexual abuse.
Operations director Malcolm Gilbert said: "What we can now offer rape victims in the county has been considerably improved with the advent of this facility. I think it is a marvellous example of partnership working.
"I would have liked it to have been here many years ago, but I am pleased it is here now.
"I think everyone has been shocked that we are the last county in the south east to have such a facility for our rape victims."
Victims were previously taken to the Darenth Wood Road hospital to be forensically tested by an on-call doctor – who was in most cases a man.
And the centre was only available from 9am to 4pm, with counsellors often not available for victims.
Praising the new facility, Mr Gilbert added: "This is a purpose-built centre that is about the victim the minute they walk though the door.
"They will have a crisis worker on call 24/7 who will be there for them to assist and help them through the process which is not a pleasant one."
Earlier this year, a report to the Kent and Medway Crime Panel found the lack of a round-the-clock centre was "simply not sufficient" and meant Kent was inferior to other forces, such as Essex and Surrey.
