Rape Victim Center To Open in March

A group of Boston area women will open a center for rape victims March 1.

The Rape Crisis Center will provide detailed medical, legal, and psychological information as well as referrals for rape victims. In a statement yesterday, the group said that, "the center is a response by women to the intolerable incidence of rape and to the lack of real aid for women who have been raped."

The women who staff the Center have undergone training for several months to gain a thorough understanding of the problems associated with rape, the statement said.

The Center will maintain 24-hour-a-day telephone service. Women staffers will provide emergency transportation for rape victims, and accompany them to hospitals and police stations.

A spokeswoman for the group said yesterday that it plans a public information campaign including leaflet distribution and the formation of discussion groups.

The Center will also provide services for previous rape victims, such as legal aid, counselling referrals and discussion groups. In addition, the Center will arrange self-defense classes for women desiring them.