Support for victims of rape and sexual assault
If you’ve been the victim, please report rape or sexual assault as soon as possible. Even if you’re not 100 per cent sure, we’d sooner hear from you so that we can make sure you’re safe.
If you’re not ready to talk to the police just yet, that’s OK. Below you can find a range of places to get support, advice and medical help.
You can speak to these organisations in confidence and what you tell them won't be shared with the police unless you ask for it to be.
Independent sexual violence advisors (ISVAs)
Independent sexual violence advisors (ISVAs) work with adults and children who have experienced sexual violence and their families to get them access to the services they need.
You can talk to an ISVA without talking to the police.
Independent Sexual Violence Advisers (ISVA) | The Survivors Trust
You can access ISVAs through sexual assault referral centres (SARCs). SARCs have specially trained doctors, nurses and support workers on hand 24 hours a day, offering medical, practical and emotional support to anyone who has been raped, sexually assaulted or abused.
Find your local sexual assault referral centre.
Other useful links
The charities, groups and organisations below can also provide specialist information and support.
The Blue Sky Centre
Helpline and advice for anyone who's been raped or a victim of sexual assault. Based in Nuneaton.
Rosa - Rape or Sexual Assault Support
Independent charity offering Free confidential support for anyone who has experienced the trauma of rape, sexual abuse or sexual violence.
Safeline
Specialist, tailored support for anyone affected by or at risk of sexual abuse and rape.
Victim Support
A national charity dedicated to helping anyone affected by crime – not just victims and witnesses, but friends, family and anyone else caught up in the aftermath.
Rape Crisis
A national charity offering confidential help, advice and a range of Rape Crisis Centres around the UK.
Galop
A national charity providing advice and support to members of the LGBT community.
Survivors UK
A national charity supporting men who have been raped or sexually assaulted.
Safeline
A specialist sexual violence and abuse charity led by the needs of its clients.
The Survivors Trust
Provides specialist support for women, men and children who have survived rape, sexual violence or childhood sexual abuse.
Crimestoppers
A national charity with a free helpline for reporting crime anonymously.
Refuge
Refuge supports women, children and men with a range of services, including refuges, independent advocacy, community outreach and culturally specific services.
Women's Aid
Women’s Aid is a national charity working to end domestic abuse against women and children.
Men's Advice Line
0808 801 0327
Confidential helpline for men experiencing domestic violence from a partner or ex-partner (or from other family members).
MSP is a network of organisations working with male victims/survivors of sexual abuse, rape and sexual exploitation.
Violence, Abuse and Intimidation against Women and Girls (VAIWG)
Our ambition is to make Warwickshire a place where women and girls can live, work, study, socialise and travel safely and confidently, free of fear, violence, intimidation and harassment.
Working with our partners and ensuring we are Fit for the Future, our vision is to protect people from harm, to be great at protecting the most vulnerable and effectively disrupt and pursue offenders.
Key principles of our strategy
- Violence, abuse, and intimidation against women and girls in any form is not acceptable and will not be tolerated. This includes against our own staff.
- Every public space and education establishment should be a safe place for all women and girls.
- Women and girls should feel confident to report their experiences of harm to the police directly or indirectly, safe in the knowledge that they will be taken seriously and that they will be treated with dignity and respect. This includes when women and girls present to police as offenders.
- The lived experiences of women and girls will be heard and their opinions respected.
- We expect the highest standards of professional behaviour from all our staff. We recognise that the small minority of cases where staff abuse their position of power for sexual or emotional gain and we will ensure internal accountability and legitimacy.
- The involvement and engagement of men and boys, both in the workplace and community, in this work is vital.
To read and learn more, please look at our strategy to tackle Violence, Abuse and Intimidation against Women and Girls in Warwickshire 2021 - 2024, below:
Police Experience Survey
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Are you a victim-survivor of rape or another sexual offence?#
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Have you ever reported the offence to the police?
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Do you want to give feedback on your experience with the police?
Operation Bluestone Soteria is inviting victim-survivors of rape and other sexual offences to take part in a survey about your experience with the police. The online survey is completely anonymous.
WHY? The survey will help us understand how the police process feels to victims of rape and other sexual offences. We will use these findings to help the police improve.
WHO IS INVITED? All victim-survivors of rape and other sexual offences aged 18 and over whose case police know about. Your case may have just started, been ongoing for some time, or be closed. We want to listen to all victim-survivors.
WHO IS CONDUCTING THIS SURVEY? The survey is being conducted by academics at City, University of London, in line with General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). If you respond you cannot be identified, and your data will be completely anonymous.
HOW DO I COMPLETE THIS SURVEY? You can complete this survey online in your own time, at your own pace, and at a place that feels safe and comfortable to you. It should take no more than 15 minutes to complete.
This is an academic survey conducted by City, University of London, and not a police survey. Please do not report any crimes in the survey as your response will be anonymous.
Complete the survey at tinyurl.com/1experiencesurvey