Recently assaulted?

If you have recently been raped or sexually assaulted:

The hours and days immediately after a rape or a sexually assault feel overwhelming...

Finding Safety

• Try to be somewhere that feels safe.
• If you are still in danger call the emergency services on 999
• Try to contact a friend or someone you trust who can be with you.
• Be kind to yourself. You might be feeling overwhelmed.
• If you wash yourself, use safe products, not household cleaning products as they can be harmful. If you want to report to the police wait until you have spoken to them before washing as evidence may be lost through washing.

 

Your Health and Wellbeing

• You may have injuries, it’s important to have them treated at a hospital or you can visit your GP.
• If you do attend hospital or your GP to have injuries treatment, are not under the age of 18 or a vulnerable adult, then the hospital or GP should not inform the police.
• You may want to take the morning after pill (up to 72 hours after) or have a coil fitted (up to 5 days after). You can buy emergency contraception at a pharmacy. You can also go to your Family Planning Clinic, genito-urinary medicine (GUM) / sexual health clinic or GP. The local clinic in Perth is based at Drumhar Health Centre.
• If you are worried about sexually transmitted infections, you can have fully confidential advice and treatment from your nearest GUM/sexual health clinic. You do not need a letter from your doctor. You don’t have to give the clinic your real name.
• Sometime feelings can get too much and you might feel overwhelmed with what to do and how to keep safe. We are here to listen, believe and support you. You can call or email us or the Rape Crisis Scotland Helpline when you need to talk or write things out.

Your Options

• If you think you would like to report the incident to the police, you can contact the police directly, phone or email RASAC P&K or contact the Rape Crisis Helpline.
• If you have decided that you do want to report the assault, contact the police (or we can do this on your behalf) so they can arrange a forensic examination as soon as possible. As much as possible please don’t wash, eat or drink before contacting them. This is important so that as much forensic evidence can be gathered as possible.
• You can change your clothes but if possible put any clothes you were wearing at the time of the assault in a bag to give to the police.
• Tell the police if you think you may have been drugged or your drink ‘spiked’. They will arrange for blood and urine tests.
• You might not feel like reporting now, but you might in time. So keep the clothes you were wearing at the time of the assault, don’t wash them and put them in a plastic bag.
• If you are unsure about reporting you may wish to consider contacting SARCS (Sexual Assault Response Coordination Service) which can facilitate a forensic examination to gather any evidence without having to report to the police. If at a later date you decide to report the evidence is then passed on to the police. We can contact them on your behalf if you do not want to contact them.

Useful contacts in this section:

• RASAC P&K Helpline: 01738 630965 (9am-5pm weekdays - you may need to leave a message)
• RASAC P&K Support Email: Support@rasacpk.org.uk
• Rape Crisis Scotland Helpline: 08088 01 03 02 (7 day 5pm - midnight)
• SARCS: 0800 148 88 88 (24/7)
• Police Scotland Emergency: 999 (24/7)
• Police Scotland Non- Emergency:101 (24/7)
• NHS 24 Scotland Helpline – 111 (24/7)