Isle of Man sex assault referral centre to open by end of year

Funds for the new on-island centre were approved last year

A purpose-built sexual assault referral centre should open on the Isle of Man by the end of the year, the department of home affairs has said.

More than £800,000 was earmarked for the project in the 2022-23 budget.

Department of Home Affairs (DHA) executive officer Dan Davies said plans for the new development had been given approval.

Mr Davies said the facility would meet the "highest possible standards" when completed.

The government has previously faced criticism for a lack of on-island provision, which meant some victims of assault had to travel to the UK for specialist services.

However, Mr Davies told Tynwald's Social Affairs Policy Review Committee that about 50 cases had already been dealt with on-island at an interim centre in Douglas, which was set up in December 2021.

The new facility was being created using a collaborative approach involving the DHA, Department of Health and Social Care, Manx Care and the Isle of Man Constabulary, he said.

"Hopefully by the end of this year we'll have a new purpose-built facility which will be forensically compliant to the highest possible standards in the UK and will allow victims and survivors of sexual abuse to receive services on island," he said.

It would take a "health care led and a victim-centred approach" rather than having a focus on the criminal element, which would make a "huge difference" to those using the services, he added.