Eighteen months ago, a sexual assault clinic was built in north Wales to give victims a place to be treated mentally and physically, and give the police a report under one roof. It's called the Amethyst SARC (Sexual Assault Referral Centre), and it cost about £700,000 (about $1.1 million) to build. The idea stemmed from an analysis of rape investigations by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary (HMIC) in 2002.
"Users will be offered a choice of male or female workers who have a wealth of experience and skills in working with sexual violence and abuse, emotional trauma and related court proceedings," said Sue Walls of children's services with NSPCC Cymru.
Katherine Moseley, the Amethyst's director, says the people involved with the Amethyst's development made sure the voice of the victim was heard. Since its doors opened, the center has treated 385 people, with overwhelmingly positive feedback. The location of the center has not been disclosed, for obvious reasons, but a conference is being held this week at Llandudno to open the center to the public.