New Centre to Support Victims and Vulnerable Witnesses in North Yorkshire

The new Acer House Victims’ Centre will provide dedicated, modern facilities to better meet the needs of victims of rape and sexual assault in York and North Yorkshire.

Acer House is the new site for the Adult Sexual Assault Referral Centre (“SARC”) and Child Sexual Assault Assessment Services in York and North Yorkshire. Victims of rape and sexual assault will receive immediate healthcare and a forensic medical examination if required at the Centre, to collect and document evidence.

The new Centre also has two Video-Recorded Interview suites for North Yorkshire Police to take statements from vulnerable victims and witnesses of any crime, including children and young people.

The Mayor of York and North Yorkshire, David Skaith, and Deputy Mayor for Policing, Fire and Crime, Jo Coles, have supported the overall investment of £3 million, to purchase the building and develop the facilities, increasing capacity fourfold, in replacement of the previous SARC and Interview Suite. The investment is also to support the SARC to achieve new national forensic accreditation. This accreditation is required to ensure the quality of forensic evidence secures the best possible chance of prosecution of sexual offences.

Importantly, the Centre has been designed in consultation with victims, and intermediaries, to help improve their overall experience. Victims expressed their need for comfort and safety, which the Centre has provided through soft furnishes, toys for children and comfortable, private waiting rooms. With minimal signage to indicate police presence, the Centre is designed to feel distinct from a hospital or police setting. Suspects will never be interviewed within the building.

Acer House is situated close to key transport links and major roads to serve people living throughout York and North Yorkshire. The Centre will be used to support victims 24/7 and has been designed to be accessible for those with mobility needs.  

David Skaith, York and North Yorkshire Mayor said:

“It was a privilege to come and visit the finished Victims Centre before it officially opens. The care and attention that has gone into providing a safe space for victims is plain to see.

“Creating healthy and resilient communities is at the heart of my mayoral vision. This new provision for victims, offering vital improved resources and support for individuals can serve across the whole of our region.

“A key role for me as Mayor is to champion the interests of victims and tackling violence against women and girls and to help meet the national Government pledge to halve violence against women and girls over the next decade.

Jo Coles, Deputy Mayor for Policing, Fire and Crime said:

“Last year we know there were over 300 referrals to our Sexual Assault Referral Centre, hundreds more reports to the police of rape and sexual assault, and tragically, almost certainly many more cases that were never reported.

“The Mayor and I are determined to tackle the appalling levels of violence against women and girls in our region. As part of that work, it is vital women and girls feel safe to report incidences of rape and sexual assault.

“Providing victims with the best possible facility in which to support them and secure evidence is one way in which we are showing our commitment.

“The new Acer House facility meets new accreditation standards, vital to building public confidence and encouraging victims to report serious crimes such as rape.

“As well as providing services for victims and witnesses, it also ensures the police can gather accurate evidence, improving the chances of successful prosecution against perpetrators of these devastating crimes.

“The centre has been designed to be a safe and welcoming space to ensure the experience for victims and witnesses is as supportive as possible at what will be a devastating time for them.”

Assistant Chief Constable Catherine Clarke, said:

“We are delighted to see the opening of Acer House. The new facilities will provide a much-improved environment for victims of rape and sexual assault during one of the darkest times in their life.

“It is also extremely positive news in terms of the impact on our investigations, providing us with additional capability to gather evidence. This is very welcome and will support and enhance the implementation of Operation Soteria and the new national operating model to improve our response to rape and serious sexual assault.

“Every day we see the impact on victims and survivors of sexual crimes and how difficult it is to come forward and report what has happened. I hope the new centre, that has been designed with victims and survivors at its very heart, will give more people the confidence to come forward and report has happened to them. Even if they do not want to speak to the police, they can contact Acer House direct to access services and support to help recover and rebuild their lives.”

Emelia Spencer, National SARC Director, Mountain Healthcare, said:

"Mountain Healthcare is delighted with the new SARC premises housing both adult and paediatric forensic and non-forensic suites. This state-of-the-art facility will make a significant difference to service users, those who accompany them, and the healthcare staff working on-site. The dedication and attention to detail that have gone into the facility are outstanding and serve as a true example of partnership working, with service users at the heart"

The Acer House project was delivered by Kier Places, a business within Kier Construction which delivers building, workplace, and residential solutions in places where people live and work across the UK.
Jamie McKechnie, managing director of Kier Places, said:

“This project has required a genuinely collaborative approach between the Office for Policing, Fire, Crime and Commissioning, Kier Places, and a number of other key stakeholders to ensure the building was tailored to meet the needs of its users.

We are delighted that Acer House will now provide a centralised hub offering vital services for victims of crime, as well as much-needed support for witnesses and other vulnerable individuals and we are proud to have worked together to deliver this important new space.”

Facilities at Acer House SARC include:  

• Two dedicated forensic medical examination suites providing age-appropriate facilities for the Adult Sexual Assault Referral Centre (“SARC”) and Child Sexual Assault Assessment Services (“CSAAS”) for victims of rape and sexual assault to receive immediate healthcare and a forensic medical examination to collect and document evidence. There is also a non-forensic medical examination room for non-recent cases of child sexual abuse.
• Two new Video-Recorded Interview (“VRI”) suites for North Yorkshire Police to video/record statements from vulnerable victims and witnesses including children and young people.
• Private car park, with a designated, accessible parking bay.
• Private outdoor, grassed space, with tables and seating and a designated smoking area.
• A lift and accessible toilet and showering facilities.
• Four separate and private family waiting rooms for family members or friends accompanying victims and witnesses to use, each with their own facilities.

As part of Acer House’s approach to making a visitor’s experience as manageable as possible, a walkthrough video will be available, before they visit in person.

If you have been a victim and need help the Acer House Adult Sexual Assault Referral Centre will provide free, confidential healthcare and compassionate support to people aged 16 years and older in York and North Yorkshire that have experienced sexual assault or rape. Support is available for everyone, all genders, and regardless of when the incident happened and whether they want to report to the police or not.

The services offer:

• Immediate triage, advice, and support over the phone
• Specialist 1 to 1 sexual assault crisis support
• Forensic Medical Examination if appropriate to collect any forensic evidence
• Emergency contraception and testing for sexually transmitted infections (“STIs”)
• Onward referrals and/or liaison with other agencies and support services as appropriate.

The services are available 24/7 365 days of the year, including Bank Holidays, however examinations are usually booked for daytime weekday hours (9-5) wherever possible.

Referrals can be made by police officers and other professionals working with victims.

Agencies can contact the SARC for advice and discuss referrals to the service with the victim’s consent.  

Victims aged 16 years and older can also self-referral, without having to talk to the police or make a police report about what happened - they can contact the SARC direct for advice and discuss the options available to them. If they are not sure about reporting, they can still choose to have forensic medical examination and the evidence can be safely stored at the Centre, giving them time to decide what to do. If they do decide to report to the police in the future, this evidence can then be shared with the police.

Victims also have the option of making an ‘anonymous report’ to the police if they wish. This information can be shared with the police, without providing their name or any other identifying information.

Referrals can be made direct to Mountain Healthcare Ltd:

• Phone: 0330 223 0362 (available 24/7/365)
• Online: https://www.acerhousesarc.co.uk/

Mountain Healthcare is a leading Health and Justice provider, experienced in the provision of specialist care for children and adults who have experienced sexual assault, including rape.

The Child Sexual Assault Assessment Centre will provide free, specialist healthcare and compassionate support to all children and young people aged 0 to 16yrs in York and North Yorkshire who have disclosed sexual abuse or assault, or where it is suspected that it has happened. Older young people up to their 19th birthday may also be seen if they have additional needs or if it is felt to be more clinically appropriate. The service offers:

• Immediate professional advice and support over the phone
• Specialist 1 to 1 sexual assault crisis support
• Forensic Medical Examination if appropriate to collect any forensic evidence
• Non-forensic Medical Examination for non-recent incidents
• Emergency contraception if required and testing for sexually transmitted infections (“STIs”)
• Onward referrals and/or liaison with other agencies for aftercare and support services as necessary

Referrals can only be made by police officers, social workers, or health professionals; it is not a self-referral service.