Tasmania’s final Arch centre has officially opened, with a new facility in the north-west completing the statewide rollout of facilities designed to support victim-survivors of sexual violence.
The centres provide wraparound, trauma-informed care in a single location, bringing together specialist sexual assault services and police under one roof.
Deputy Premier Guy Barnett said the government was committed to enabling victim-survivors to come forward and seek help.
“Violence against anyone, in any form, is unacceptable, but the harm caused by sexual violence is particularly devastating,” he said.
“We are not just opening a building. We are strengthening a system. We are backing victim-survivors.”
Barnett said the opening was part of the government’s third Family and Sexual Violence Action Plan, called Survivors at the Centre.
Police Minister Felix Ellis said the centres gave people choice and control over the support they received.
“People have choice and control about the kind of support they’re seeking, whether it’s police, social support services or both,” Ellis said.
The centre was designed in close consultation with victim-survivors and support sector experts to ensure it met their needs during difficult times.
“The completion of the Arch rollout marks a significant milestone in rebuilding trust in Tasmania’s institutions,” Ellis said.
The Tasmanian government has invested $43 million to establish Arch centres across the south, north and north-west of the state.
The facilities aim to make specialist services more accessible by housing them in one location rather than requiring victim-survivors to navigate multiple agencies.
More information is available at arch.tas.gov.au.
