What are my options?
Knowing what to do after experiencing sexual violence can be really hard. Whatever you decide to do is your choice and we will never tell you what you should do.
You can report what happened to the police
The crime can be reported to the police, you can either do this yourself or a family member or friend can on your behalf by calling 101. Please remember, if you tell a teacher, doctor, police officer or another professional they will have to report this to the police. If this has been reported or you are unsure what to do, you can contact our Child and Young Person’s Independent Sexual Violence Advisor Service for more information or support. They can meet with you to explain the process or support you through it all if you have decided to report what happened to the police.
If you have been raped in the last 7 days
There is something called the Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC), this is where you can go to speak to a specialist and talk through more options. You can go the SARC centre for up to 7 days after the rape. At the SARC Centre you will be seen by a paediatric doctor who may examine you and check if there are any injuries. This can be very scary, and you can bring someone with you if you want to. To contact the SARC, you can look on their website. If you are unsure about this, you can give them a call to ask any questions or someone can call them on your behalf. Please remember if you are still in danger the SARC may have to report this to the police.
If you think you are going to attend the SARC Centre, it is recommended that you don’t wash, eat or drink, smoke, change your clothes or brush your teeth. If you do want to change your clothes, put your old clothes in a plastic bag and don’t wash them, then take this bag with you to the SARC. This is so they can collect any forensics which can help if you decide you want to report what has happened.
Emotional Support or Counselling
If you decide you don’t want to report what happened that’s okay, you can still get support from our Therapeutic Team. They are able to provide one to one support to talk through what has happened and help you explore the difficulties you may be experiencing in a non-judgemental, safe and understanding environment.
If you would like to talk through your options, you can contact our helpline to speak with one of our volunteers to ask any questions you may have.
