Crisis centre for rape victims ready soon

The final preparations are underway for the opening of a rape and sexual assault trauma centre at Tórshavn’s National Hospital.

According to health minister Kaj Leo Holm Johannesen, planning for the centre started back in 2016, but a number of factors including a lack of gyneacologists have stalled the process.

However, these obstacles have now been overcome, and now only a few minor details need to be ironed out before the centre can open early next year.

A call for action

This process was speeded up after Amnesty International Faroe Islands which, together with the Women’s Refuge, Tórshavn’s Women’s Society and the National Womens’ Association, in May sent a letter to the health authorities urging them to get the rape crisis centre ready.

In the letter, they argued that the Faroe Islands are lagging behind neighbouring countries when it comes to providing help for rape victims.

“It is not as easy as some might think for a rape victim to simply call the police because these women are usually severely traumatised,” Katrin á Neystabø, president of Amnesty International Faroe Islands, said in May.

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A crisis centre, along with dedicated online support and advice, would offer a much less stressful way to start the recovery process after an incident with rape or violence, she added.

“All the countries around us offer this service to their citizens, but women in the Faroes who have been through such traumatising experiences only have the option of calling the police. We believe it is crucial that our health authorities do something about this.”

The new centre will offer trauma support in close collaboration with the Women’s Refuge in Tórshavn.