Help on campus, weekdays
If you have been affected by sexual violence within the last 7 days there may be forensic evidence available. You can get help on campus during weekdays, Monday to Friday 9 am to 5 pm. You can do this through this online Report + Support tool (reportandsupport.sussex.ac.uk), including your contact details so that an advisor can reach out to you. Or you can email svdv@sussex.ac.uk.
(If you have been affected by sexual violence later than 7 days ago, help and support is available for you. If you complete a Report + Support form with your contact details, or email svdv@sussex.ac.uk, an advisor will reach out to you within 5 working days).
Security Services
If you have been affected by sexual violence within the last 7 days there may be forensic evidence available. You can get help on campus during weekdays, Monday to Friday 9 am to 5 pm. You can do this through this online Report + Support tool (reportandsupport.sussex.ac.uk), including your contact details so that an advisor can reach out to you. Or you can email svdv@sussex.ac.uk.
(If you have been affected by sexual violence later than 7 days ago, help and support is available for you. If you complete a Report + Support form with your contact details, or email svdv@sussex.ac.uk, an advisor will reach out to you within 5 working days).
Security Services
If you are on campus in an emergency, or at night and over the weekend, you can call Security Services on 01273 873333.
Reporting
It is completely your decision whether you report the incident to the police. You can report immediately, later, or you can choose not to report, and there is no ‘correct’ decision, just the decisions that you feel most comfortable about. An advisor can talk this through with you. In an emergency, you can call police on 999.
Non-emergency reporting to police
In a non-emergency, you can call police on 101, or if you’d like to report online, rather than speaking to an officer by telephone, you can do so securely using the online form. An officer will get back to you as soon as possible.
Collecting evidence
Collecting evidence
It’s also possible to go to a place called a Sexual Assault Referral Centre. This is somewhere you can access to have evidence collected. You can self-refer there for crisis support, medical care and to store forensic evidence while deciding whether you want to report to the police. You wouldn’t have to pass the details on to the police, but it means the evidence is there if you do later decide that you want to make a report.
The Saturn Sexual Assault Referral Centre
If you have experienced sexual assault within the last seven days, The Saturn Centre Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) offers free support and practical help to anyone in Sussex who has experienced sexual violence or abuse.
You will need an appointment before coming to The Saturn Centre. To book your appointment please call 01293 600469 (out of hours: 0800 033 7797, 24/7 Free Phone) or email sctr.saturncentre@nhs.net. The team can normally arrange for you to visit within 24-48 hours, so you won't have to wait long.
If you do decide to report to the police, or if you want to make a self-referral for a forensic medical examination at the Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) while you make up your mind, there are things to consider that can help to preserve forensic material:
If you do decide to report to the police, or if you want to make a self-referral for a forensic medical examination at the Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) while you make up your mind, there are things to consider that can help to preserve forensic material:
· Avoid washing
· Avoid changing clothes, or keep them in a clean bag, ideally something cotton (like a pillowcase)
· Avoid urinating (or keep a sample in a clean container)
· Avoid eating or drinking
· Avoid smoking
· Avoid smoking
· Avoid taking non-essential medication
· Avoid clearing up the location where the incident occurred.
The priority is your wellbeing, so please keep in mind you should only do or avoid things as far as feels ok for you. If you have already done some of these things, that’s ok, there may still be forensic material available.