Rape Crisis Centre to close

By Melanie Sjoberg

ADELAIDE -- Workers at the Rape Crisis Centre learned of its end in a blunt fax from the minister for family and community services, Martin Evans, on May 12. The centre will be amalgamated into the Sexual Assault Service. A media release was issued at the same time, indicating that no further discussion will be entered into.

The centre is to be amalgamated by July 1. The government claims that this is not actually closing the service but “expanding resources and using them more effectively”.

A campaign has been waged over many months to win support for the maintenance of the Rape Crisis Centre which was originally established, without funding, 20 years ago, to meet a demand from women for a service that did not treat them in a medical model but both supported their immediate needs and provided ongoing advice and education.

The campaign collected more than 4000 signatures on a petition and recently held a rally attracting 400 supporters.

There were no reports in the Adelaide newspapers. Perhaps this was too much of an embarrassment at a time when there has been considerable reporting of outrageous comments by judges relating to women who have been raped.

Claire, a worker at the Rape Crisis Centre, told Green Left Weekly that they will refuse to be amalgamated. They will place advertisements over the next week advising clients and supporters that they are attempting to support women currently in receipt of services and refer them to appropriate alternatives. The dilemma is that RCC provided a unique service, and government cutbacks mean women's services will have longer queues.

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