New centre for sex attack victims

A £100,000 centre for victims of rape and violence is being planned for Peterborough.

The centre for victims of sexual assault and domestic violence, which is being part-funded by the Home Office, is due to open in April 2004.

It will run alongside several support groups in the city, such as Peterborough Women's Aid and Rape Crisis.

It is being modelled on the Sexual Assaults Referral Centre in Cambridge.

Centre to make 'difference'

Rape Crisis is part of the project team involved in planning the centre, along with Cambridgeshire Police and other local organisations and businesses.

Rachel, a counsellor with Rape Crisis, has high hopes for the centre.

"I think it will make a huge difference because at the moment women either have no support... unless they come to someone like ourselves or they go to the police," she said.

"Those are the only two options."

She said the centre was really good news.

"Women can get all the information and all the support they need in one place, but they don't have to go down the legal route if they don't want to," she said.