- Published:
- Wednesday 17 February 2016
Victims of sexual assault and child abuse in Gippsland will be able to access a range of services in one location with the opening of a new multi-disciplinary centre (MDC) in Morwell.
Minister for Families and Children Jenny Mikakos officially opened the new multi-disciplinary centre today, which brings together specialised services including police, child protection, nursing and counselling services.
The centre will provide victims, many of who have also experienced family violence, a safe place to report crimes and receive the help they need without having to repeat their story over again to numerous services.
The Morwell MDC accommodates approximately 40 staff members and includes officers from Victoria Police’s specialised Sexual Offences and Child Abuse Investigation Teams, child protection workers, the Gippsland Centre Against Sexual Abuse (GCASA), a Community Health Nurse and forensic medical services.
Victoria now has six MDCs – at Dandenong, Geelong, Mildura, Seaford, Bendigo and now Morwell.
The Andrews Labor Government also recently announced an additional $145,000 for the Gippsland CASA to address its waiting list for local sexual assault support services.
This funding was part of the Labor Government’s $16 million Family Violence Fund, established to respond to increased demand for services as a result of the Royal Commission into Family Violence.
The Royal Commission is due to hand down its findings in March 2016.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Families and Children
“We are proud to support collaboration between vital local support services in Gippsland to make it easier for people who have suffered trauma or abuse to come forward and seek help.”
“The Morwell MDC will help victims of sexual assault get the support they need in one place, avoiding the stress and anxiety of having to travel from service to service and repeat their traumatic stories.”
“We are responding to sexual assault and family violence by empowering those who have experienced abuse through providing the right support when they need it.”