• Maeve Eogan, Anne McHugh, and Mary Holohan.
• Sexual Assault Treatment Unit (SATU), Rotunda Hospital and National SATU Services, Parnell Square, Dublin 1, Ireland. satu@rotunda.ie
• Best Pract Res Clin Obstet Gynaecol. 2013 Feb 1; 27 (1): 47-58.

AbstractSexual Assault Centres provide multidisciplinary care for men and women who have experienced sexual crime. These centres enable provision of medical, forensic, psychological support and follow-up care, even if patients chose not to report the incident to the police service. Sexual Support Centres need to provide a ring-fenced, forensically clean environment. They need to be appropriately staffed and available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to allow prompt provision of medical and supportive care and collection of forensic evidence. Sexual Assault Centres work best within the context of a core agreed model of care, which includes defined multi-agency guidelines and care pathways, close links with forensic science and police services, and designated and sustainable funding arrangements. Additionally, Sexual Assault Centres also participate in patient, staff and community education and risk reduction. Furthermore, they contribute to the development, evaluation and implementation of national strategies on domestic, sexual and gender-based violence.Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

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