Medical help

You can see one of our specially trained doctors who will carry out a forensic medical examination. Most often this doctor will be female but we will do our best to locate a male doctor for you, if you would prefer.

The doctor can also talk to you about any other concerns you might have, for example about sexually transmitted infections or pregnancy. If you come to a Haven without having contacted the police first, the doctor who sees you will take forensic samples, but only with your permission. If you agree, we can give these samples to the police for forensic analysis without disclosing your identity.

They will then store the samples until you have decided whether or not you want to talk to them. If the forensic analysis identifies evidence that is of particular interest to the police, we will let you know and give you details that might help you make your decision.

Medical help for young people

All our doctors are trained to give medical help to anyone who has been sexually assaulted. But, if they think any young girl or boy might need special attention, they will get help from a paediatrician, a doctor who specialises in looking after children. We will also be able to refer young people for appropriate follow-up care.

Counselling

When you first attend a Haven, you can ask to speak to a crisis worker who will talk to you about your options and help if you need advice about whether to report what has happened to the police. If you decide not to talk to the police, we can still offer you support and discuss the issue of counselling further with you. Our counsellors have been trained to help those who have been assaulted, either recently or in the past, and support them through the immediate trauma and the difficult times that can follow.

Safety

Your safety is very important to us, and we give advice if you have safety concerns following a sexual assault. If you are concerned for your safety at any time, please contact police. In an emergency dial 999.

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