On March 31st President Stella and 8 members were privileged to visit St Mary’s Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC). They were shown around by Charlotte Batra, the Training and Development Officer.
The facilities there are much improved since the early days of the service that many members remember. There are now three self-contained areas where users can be seen in complete privacy – one of which is exclusively for the use of those under 16 years of age. There are also counselling rooms, offices, a meeting room and a video link room in development. The latter will enable a live link to be established to a court room hearing. This will mean that a victim will be able to give evidence without the fear of meeting the perpetrator. The public areas are beautifully decorated with images representing the four seasons.
2016 will mark the 30th Anniversary of St Mary’s SARC. Having supported the unit from their beginning, the members of SI Manchester are looking forward to helping them celebrate their achievements over those years.
