A RAPE centre which has seen a large increase in service users over the last year is calling for a more "joined up" approach to supporting survivors of sexual violence.

West Mercia Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Centre held a conference at the Bank House Hotel in Bransford on Thursday, where representatives from various agencies — including the police and social services — were invited to attend to hear about the service and the people it helps and discuss how the agencies can best work together to offer support.

Speaking at the conference, the centre's chief officer, Jocelyn Anderson, said the Worcestershire centre's counselling service had seen a 15 per cent increase in users in the last year.

"Our Independent Sexual Violence Advisors have also seen a 10 per cent rise. This is possibly in part due to the higher profile of sexual violence in the media with cases such as Jimmy Savile and Rolf Harris coming to light. It's great that more people are reaching out to us but there is a huge strain on resources," she said.

"But with these high profile cases, people seemed to be surprised at the amount of victims involved. It's not surprising — when a predator has perfected how to abuse time and time again they will continue to do it.

"One in five women will have experienced some form of sexual violence since the age of 16 in the UK. In my view there isn't a joined up pathway for them in the area at the moment. Some of the people we work with are the most vulnerable in society and sometimes cannot find their own pathway via the internet or other resources. There is a massive number of people who aren't being supported."

The conference heard the stories of survivors whom the centre had worked with.

One woman, named only as 'Karen', told of how from a very young age she and her two sisters were farmed out to abusers by their grandmother, and a 15-year-old girl, 'Milly' spoke about her experience of being driven away in a car at night and raped by a man she knew.

The conference went on to discuss the cost of sexual violence on the county and how agencies can better work together to offer more support to men, women and children who are abused.

To contact the centre, visit www.wmrsasc.org.uk, find them on Facebook or Twitter or call the helpline on 01905 724514.