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If you have just been attacked

 

It is not your fault

You are not alone

Help is available

 

You do not need to make any decisions right now about reporting to the police. If you would like to leave your options open, see If there's a chance you might want to report in the future.

 

 

 

 

 

Safety

Are you safe now? If not, you may need to ask for help, or take whatever steps are necessary to ensure your safety. In an emergency, always call 999 (if you are using an office phone where you have to dial '9' for an outside line, you may have to dial '9' and then '112' instead).

Try to get to a place that feels safe, where someone you trust can be with you.

 

Your health and well-being

Try to keep warm and drink plenty of fluids, if you are in danger of going into shock.

If you are physically injured, go to your GP or your nearest A&E, depending on the urgency. They will not require that you report it to the police.

If you wash yourself, use your usual safe products, not household products as these can cause lasting damage.

If you are concerned about sexually transmitted infections (STIs), you can receive confidential advice, tests and treatment from your nearest GUM clinic (genito-urinary medicine). You do not need a referral from your doctor, and don't even have to give the clinic your real name.

If you want to prevent any possible pregnancy, you can use emergency contraception. The morning-after pill, available at pharmacies, is effective up to 72 hours later. Having a coil fitted at a Family Planning or GUM Clinic, or by a GP, is effective up to 5 days later. After this time, you can still receive free, confidential information and terminations – see the Contacts section for where to find help.

To receive pregnancy testing, emergency contraception, advice and screening for sexually transmitted infections, or ongoing and long term support, you can visit the Oasis Centre in Peterborough, a Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC). They will not require that you report to the police, although you can also do this there.

 

Emotional reactions

There is no such thing as a 'typical reaction'. Everyone reacts differently. Some initial feelings that callers have described to us include:

Calm and detached
Disbelief or denial
Distressed and crying
Shock
Withdrawal
Confusion or panic
Fear
Feeling dirty or ashamed

When physical concerns have been taken care of, emotional pain will probably still be there. Everyone deals with the effects of sexual violence differently, but it often takes time. Our helpline is available if you would like emotional support.

If you can, confide in someone you trust; talking about your feelings can help you to deal with them. However, never feel pressured to describe or disclose anything you feel uncomfortable about. Reliving the experience may or may not be helpful – trust your instincts.

 

Reporting – If you want to report immediately

If the perpetrator is still at the scene or nearby, call 999. The police operator will ask for your name, address and details of what has happened, so they can make an appropriate response.

If not, call the Cambridgeshire Constabulary on 0345 456 456 4. The line is staffed 24 hours a day by trained operators. Ask for the Special Investigations Unit.

The police can take you to the SARC at Peterborough, where you can have a forensic medical examination and medical and emotional help. To help get the best quality forensic evidence, try not to eat, drink, smoke, wash, change your clothes, go to the toilet or clear up the area where it took place. If you have done any of these things, don't worry - it is often still possible to get some forensic evidence, so this should not stop you reporting.

If you believe you were drugged, or your drink spiked, you can have urine or blood tests done to prove this, the sooner the better.

When you give your statement to the police, try not to leave anything out, however embarrassing or painful it may be. If you can't remember something, it is ok to say so. Don't be afraid to tell the truth about things like how much you had to drink, or using recreational drugs, because if the truth comes out later it may harm the chances of prosecution.

 

If there's a chance you might want to report in the future

Many women and girls do not wish to report immediately, but decide after a while that they want to do so. This is perfectly acceptable, and there are steps you can take to make this easier.

At the SARC in Peterborough they can store forensic evidence for you until you make up your mind about reporting. If you wish, they can keep the DNA results on record, and let you know if it matches with other reported assaults, still with no obligation to report. The SARC also provides medical and emotional help, which you can access without reporting to the police.

If you do not wish to see anyone, you can still preserve the evidence yourself. Putting your clothes (including e.g. sanitary pad) in a clean bag in the freezer can help preserve evidence, as can brushing your teeth and then freezing the toothbrush.