A new centre which will support and care for people who have been sexually assaulted is to open in Huntingdon on December 14.

A new centre which will support and care for people who have been sexually assaulted is to open in Huntingdon on December 14.

The facility, to be known as The Elms, will be based at Hinchingbrooke Hospital and replaces the Oasis @ Rivergate, which closes to patients on the same day.

The Elms will provide victims of sexual assault with a safe place to receive medical aftercare, forensic examinations, support and to anonymously report incidents.

There will also be dedicated facilities for children and young people including paediatric clinics.

Services at The Elms will be provided by a partnership including Cambridgeshire Rape Crisis, Peterborough Rape Crisis, Embrace, Peterborough Women’s Aid, Victims Hub, Cambridgeshire Constabulary and Mountain Healthcare Ltd.

Detective Chief Inspector Jon McAdam, said: “I am really pleased that we are able to provide this brand new facility to offer the best possible care for those who have experienced a sexual assault.

“The Elms support abuse survivors when they are at their most vulnerable, ensuring they receive the highest quality care and ongoing support.

“There has been an increase in reporting of sexual offences as survivors are gaining greater confidence that these offences are treated with the upmost seriousness so it is very important that we are able to provide the best possible facilities.”

Rachel Matheson, The Elms’ manager, said: “The Elms is a fantastic new facility, conveniently located on the hospital site which will make it very accessible for anyone who needs to use it.

“The service that we provide to victims is vital and I am pleased that we will be able to offer dedicated spaces for survivors of all ages and genders.

“While we work closely with the police I would like to reassure anyone who attends the centre that everything they tell us is confidential and will not be reported as a crime unless they specifically ask for it to be.”

More information about The Elms is available online at www.theelmssarc.org. The website includes an option to hide the webpage from your browser history to enable survivors to view it without fear.