A sexual assault response team was launched at Mater Dei Hospital to provide victims of sexual abuse with a one stop shop where they could get treatment and the dignity to help them recover from their trauma.

Launching the team this morning, Social Affairs Minister Marie Louise Coleiro Preco said she revived the initiative last year through the National Commission for Domestic Violence with the help of the Home Affairs and Health ministries.

The initiative had been in the offing since 2009 when a task force was appointed to draw up a report, which was then shelved.

 

The unit, at Mater Dei, will offer victims the services of a doctor, nurse, social worker, psychologist and police who would be on call and go on alert as soon as someone called in.

Having all these professionals at the same place at the same time would prevent the victim from having to recount the story over and over again, reliving the trauma.

The initiative, which is a public social partnership and for which the government has allocated €40,000, will be run by Victim Support Malta.

Last year there were 11 assault cases of people over 18 but the government was convinced this was only the tip of the iceberg as many people were too scared to report abuse.

People who felt victimised could turn up at the unit or call 179. They could also call or go to the police who would direct them to the unit.

Ms Coleiro Preca pointed out that sexual assault and abuse also happened within marriage and relationships.

She said when asked that the government was also looking to develop similar initiatives in Gozo.

The minister said that Parliament would, on Wednesday, embark on the first reading for the ratification of Istanbul convention, aimed at preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence.

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