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Sexual assault

If you have been raped or sexually assaulted you may be experiencing a range of feelings, from feeling numb, frightened or worried. Talking to someone about your concerns and getting accurate advice about the next steps and options can help.

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How we can help

At SHAC we offer a comprehensive sexual assault service offering health care and advice. We offer:

  • Testing for all sexually transmitted infections. On most occasions this can be done without an examination, if you have no symptoms, and is a quick and easy process. Testing can give peace of mind after an assault and help you to take back control. We recommend testing at 2 weeks after a risk for bacterial infections, and at 3 months for blood borne viruses.
  • Emergency contraception, pregnancy testing and on-going contraception.
  • PEP (Post Exposure Prophylaxis) for anyone who may have had a risk of being exposed to HIV. This is a course of tablets that if started within 72 hours (3 days) of a risk can prevent HIV transmission.
  • Vaccinations for hepatitis B. This is a course of 4 small injections that protects against hepatitis B infection and can give peace of mind.

If you would like an appointment or have questions, please call the health advisers on 01273 523 388 opt 2. We also have a designated clinic on Tuesday mornings called the Solar Clinic which offers a full range of health care and support options following sexual assault and the opportunity to speak directly with a worker from Survivors Network, link in with their services, and get some practical tips and advice.

Reporting to the Police

If you would like to report to the Police you can do this in a number of different ways:

  • You can call them on 999
  • You can go to your local police station. To find your local station call 101, or if you are in Sussex visit the Sussex Police website.
  • You can report to the police anonymously. This is called Third Party Reporting, and our local support service Survivors’ Network can pass information to the police without giving any details which could identify you. This helps them to see if there are serial offenders.

Visiting a sexual assault referral centre (SARC)

The SARC for people aged 14 years and over in Sussex is The Saturn Centre in Crawley. They can be contacted on 01293 600469 .

At the SARC you can have a forensic medical examination, this is most useful within 7 days of the incident, but some evidence can remain on clothing and other items for longer. The SARC should not pressure you into reporting to the police and they can store the results of the forensic examination (or evidence) until you make up your mind whether to report to the police or not. Clinical staff at SARCs are specially trained and experienced professionals who can give you medical help and advice. They can also support you through the immediate trauma.

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