If You Have Recently Been Sexually Assaulted

If you have been recently assaulted, you may be in shock and feeling overwhelmed and confused about what to do next. You are in no way to blame for what happened and you did not deserve for this to happen. The only person/people responsible for sexual violence are those who chose to commit it. This Guide provides some information about where you can get medical treatment, support, and how you can report to the police if you decide to do so. There is no time limit on reporting- you can still report something and access support, even if it happened a long time ago.

Your physical safety and wellbeing

Rape and sexual assault are crimes of violence, an exertion of power and control, and a violation of a woman’s most personal and intimate space. Not all assaults result in obvious physical injuries, but if you have been assaulted and have injuries, it’s important that you get medical attention, especially if you have a head injury, been subjected to your breathing being restricted, if you have lost consciousness, are in pain, or if you are bleeding. The NHS Sexual Assault Response Co-ordination Service (SARCS) website has more comprehensive information on when you should go to Accident and Emergency after an assault:  Injuries from a rape or sexual assault | NHS inform 

If you feel unsafe or that you are still in danger from those who have assaulted you, you can contact the police on 999 if it’s an emergency, or on 111 if you need advice and information. The Police Scotland website has information about reporting, with a short video explaining the process:  

https://www.scotland.police.uk/advice/rape-and-sexual-crime

If you wish to pass on information relating to the assault, or individuals associated with the abuse, you may disclose this anonymously to Crimestoppers, who will pass on any details to their trusted partner organisations such as the Police, Community Safety etc as a means of sharing valuable intelligence relating to patterns and particular perpetrators of crimes and assaults. This information will not be traced back to you and remains confidential and anonymous. Contact details: 0800 555 111  

https://crimestoppers-uk.org/about-us/crimestoppers-in-scotland

Whether or not you decide to report the rape to the police, you can visit one of the NHS SARCS where you can get a forensic examination, access to emergency contraception if you need it, and testing in case of sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

You can contact their phone line, which is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, on 0800 148 88 88 or visit their website for information if you were raped within the last 7 days – 7 days and under | NHS inform. You can also get information on what the SARCS can do for you if you were raped more than 7 days ago – Over 7 days | NHS inform. There is also information available if you, or someone you know, is under 16 years of age – If you’re under 16 | NHS inform

Calls are free from landlines and mobiles.

The forensic examination can be carried out up to 7 days after the rape, and if you have not reported to the police, the samples taken from you will be kept for 2 years and 2 months in case you decide to report to the police later. The SARCS service provides a sensitive, trauma-informed, predominantly female workforce and can also offer ongoing practical and emotional support following an assault. The samples will be destroyed after 2 years and 2 months. 

If you are going for a forensic medical examination, try not to wash or, if you feel you cannot wait, take a shower rather than a bath and use safe products, not household cleaning products, as they can be harmful. It can also be useful to put the clothes you were wearing in a clean plastic bag and take them with you. You have the right to ask for a woman forensic examiner, though it may take extra time for one to be available. 

If you don’t want to contact the SARCS service, you can still visit one of the Lothian Sexual Health clinics for emergency contraception and STI testing, though you won’t be able to get a forensic examination. You can check out where the clinics are sited on Local Clinics in Your Area | Lothian Sexual Health. You can also get emergency contraception free from your local pharmacy.

In Edinburgh city, the sexual health clinic is at 2a Chalmers Street, Edinburgh, EH3 9ES and can be contacted on 0131 536 1071 or you can make an appointment with them at Lothian Sexual Health | Sexual Health advice for Edinburgh and the Lothians

You can also call NHS 24 on 111 for health information and medical help out of hours if there is something you are worried about. If there is a possibility of pregnancy, you may want to take the morning-after pill (up to 72 hours after). 

Support

In the aftermath of a sexual assault, some women might tell a trusted friend or family member who may be able to offer some support. But it can also be useful to have someone who has expert knowledge and experience in supporting survivors, and whom you can speak to regularly. If you would like support from Beira’s Place, you can contact us on 0131 526 3944 – Monday to Friday from 9am until 5pm or email us on support@beirasplace.org.uk. Whilst we are not a crisis service, we will aim to respond to you in a safe and timely manner within a 24–48-hour period. 

For support at other times, you can call the national rape and sexual assault helpline on 08088 01 03 02; Text 07537 410 027, which is open every night of the week from 5pm until midnight. Visit their website for additional advice, support, and helpful resources at www.rapecrisisscotland.org.uk. Email: support@rapecrisisscotland.org.uk 

If you are experiencing sexual violence and abuse from your partner/ex partner, you can contact the National Domestic Abuse and Forced Marriage Helpline on 0800 027 1234. The line is open 24 hours a day. Visit their website on www.sdafmh.org.uk. This helpline is open to both women and men. 

For further free, confidential legal advice and advocacy support on a range of forms of violence against women, you may also contact the Scottish Women’s Rights Centre helpline on 08088 010 789. Visit their website for access to resources, guides and up-to-date legal information and advice.  

https://www.scottishwomensrightscentre.org.uk

You deserve support and do not need to cope with this alone.