New Isle of Man sex attack referral centre to ease victim trauma

Funds have been set aside to build and operate an on-island facility

Construction of a new sexual assault referral centre on the Isle of Man may encourage more victims to come forward, the home affairs minister has said.

The government has budgeted £830,000 to build a permanent facility to provide support and forensic examinations.

It is due to replace an interim centre opened in Douglas in December 2021.

Jane Poole-Wilson said creating an on-island facility would remove the "trauma" of having to travel to the UK for specialist services.

She said, while there may not be "huge numbers" needing to use the centre, it was "extremely significant" in each case that there was on-island access given the "individual level of harm for each one of those people".

"Once you provide a service, that will enable people to come forward, perhaps more so than they would have done had they had to travel off-island," she added.

"Hidden problem"

Speaking during last week's budget debate in Tynwald, Rob Callister MHK said the move would address a "hidden problem" on the island and the funds "should have been put in place many years ago".

Though victims "may not always want to progress on a criminal pathway", Ms Poole-Wilson said it was "really important" the new centre was developed correctly to make forensic examinations possible.

A spokesman for the Department of Home Affairs said, although it has a site earmarked for the new facility, the location would not publicise due to the nature of the centre.

The project is currently at the design stage, with the interim service due to remain in place until construction has been completed, he added.