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The Social Welfare Department has further strengthened services to victims of sexual violence with the setting up of a 24-hour crisis hotline and improved co-ordination among government departments and professionals.
A department spokesman said the Government attached importance to the service needs of the victims of sexual violence and a new service model was formulated after reviewing the existing mode of service provision among concerned government departments and professionals. The new service model comes into operation today (March 26).
The new service model includes a crisis intervention and support centre called "CEASE Crisis Centre". Operating round-the-clock throughout the year, the centre provides immediate intervention and support services to victims of sexual violence.
To help victims seek immediate help, the centre operates a 24-hour "Crisis Hotline 18281" manned by registered social workers. The centre also has a 24-hour designated referral telephone line to facilitate professionals (such as police and medical officers and social workers) to make referrals for follow-up in a timely manner.
An important feature of the new service model is the designation of the same social worker as a "case manager" to render assistance. The designated social worker will provide immediate support and follow-up service such as emotional support and counselling to the victim. They will also escort and accompany the victim to go through all necessary procedures like reporting to police, receiving medical treatment and forensic examination.
Another special feature of the new model is better co-ordination of services among different departments and units to provide victims with a customer-oriented and one-stop service. Victims can receive services and go through all relevant procedures in a convenient, safe, confidential and supportive environment, which minimises the need to repeat their unpleasant experience.
The spokesman said the new service model consisted of a support network covering different regions of the territory with an aim of providing victims with easily accessible services according to their wish, irrespective of their physical locations.
The spokesman stressed that under the new service model, related departments and services units could provide specialised services to victims, including:
- all hospitals with an Accident and Emergency Department (AED) under the Hospital Authority will provide victims with immediate medical services as required;
- if circumstances warrant and having regard to protecting the privacy of victims, AEDs will make suitable arrangements for forensic pathologists to conduct forensic examinations, police to take statements and social workers to provide immediate support and counselling within the hospital;
- if circumstances warrant and having regard to the victims' wish, the forensic pathologists and police will proceed with the necessary procedures and arrangements made by the hospital and/or social workers;
- more comprehensive medical after-care services will also be provided for victims in need of such services in four Hospital Authority gynecology clinics/family medicine specialist clinics located throughout the territory.
Designated social workers will arrange temporary accommodation for victims who are temporarily not suitable to return home or those individuals/families in crisis. The CEASE Crisis Centre, with its address kept confidential, will provide short-term accommodation, tentatively from early 2008.
In the middle of last year, the Social Welfare Department invited more than 250 non-governmental organisations running welfare services to submit a proposal on the operation of a crisis intervention and support centre. After an in-depth examination of all submissions by a vetting committee comprising independent people and professionals, the Tung Wah Group of Hospitals was selected to operate the centre on a pilot basis for three years. The Lotteries Fund allocated $20 million to support the project.
For the implementation of the new service model, the department, in collaboration with related social service units, the Hospital Authority, the Hong Kong Police Force and the Forensic Pathology Service of the Department of Health, has stipulated an effective workflow and revised the "Procedural Guidelines for Handling Adult Sexual Violence Cases". The guidelines have been uploaded on the department's homepage www.swd.gov.hk for public viewing.
"The new service model not only provides customer-oriented and one-stop service to the victims, but also creates synergy among related service units for better utilisation of resources. The department will review the operation of the new service model for continuous improvement," the spokesman said.
Ends/Monday, March 26, 2007
Issued at HKT 17:26
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