Significant number of under 16s seen by Guernsey's Sexual Assault Referral Centre

SARC Manager Katie Thomas

Of the 49 forensic tests carried out at Willow House, around half were on children.

The centre, at St Peter Port's North Plantation, has received 120 calls since launching in January 2024.

These come directly from clients and from professionals, such as GPs, seeking advice.

49 of these cases led to forensic medial examinations - just under half being children.

These look for injury and involve taking swabs for traces of DNA that can be used by the client if they wish to prosecute.

The Sexual Offence Examiners have received training from a UK provider - anyone under 13 is seen by a specialist paediatric forensic doctor, who comes over from Jersey.

Two thirds of people attending Willow House are female.

Manager Katie Thomas says they have been busier than expected:

"Until the service gets a little bit out there, a bit more known, like where we are and what we are here for, we were expecting slightly lower numbers.

We’ve seen more children than we were originally expecting, so we’re just adapting our pathways to make sure that we’ve got enough support for children and their families."

The Willow House service is located above Choices on the North Plantation.

Katie says providing emotional support to clients is important:

"It’s very non-clinical. We're trying to make a very traumatic experience less traumatic for them.

We can lock the door so they feel completely safe, and then we can offer a cup of tea or coffee, a shower even.

We have also got a change of clothes if they want that, and we’ve got little care bags so they can take away."

The service can be contacted on 01481 227 700.

Watch a tour around Willow House:

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