A new multi-disciplinary centre that gathers together under one roof police and support workers for family violence and sexual assault victims has opened its doors in Werribee.
About 45 police from the Westgate Family Violence Unit and Sexual Offences and Child Abuse Investigation teams have joined child protection staff from the Department of Health and Human Services, community health nurses and counsellors from the Western Region Centre Against Sexual Assault, Women’s Health West, Victorian Aboriginal Child Care Agency, and Gatehouse.
The multi-disciplinary centre, which is located within the Wyndham Medical and Services Centre on Hoppers Lane, is the seventh to be opened in Victoria.
Family Violence Assistant Commissioner Dean McWhirter said the different agencies would work together to ensure victims do not have to deal with multiple agencies in different locations.
He said Wyndham police were attending, on average, 2700 family violence related incidents each year.
Werribee MP Tim Pallas said the centre would provide better treatment options for family violence, sexual assault and child abuse victims across the west.
