A sexual assault is any sexual act that a person did not consent to or is forced into against their will. It is a form of sexual violence and includes rape (an assault involving penetration of the vagina, anus, or mouth), or other sexual offences, such as groping, forced kissing, child sexual abuse or the torture of a person in a sexual manner.
It is not uncommon for a victim of sexual assault to have no physical injuries or signs of their assault. Sexual assault is a crime and can be reported to the police in the same way as other crimes.
Yes, Treetops SARC is a confidential service. We need to share information with other agencies if we believe a child or vulnerable adult has been or is at risk of serious harm. It is up to you if you decide to tell anybody about what has happened. We may need to break confidentiality if we believe you or someone else is at risk of serious harm. We would keep you informed of this wherever possible.
No, you do not have to report the matter to the police. The SARC is available for anyone who has ever been raped or sexually assaulted and our team will support you whether you decide to report the assault to the police or not.
No. If you are referring yourself to Treetops SARC then the police won’t know you have attended unless you decide to tell them. However, we work in partnership with Hampshire Constabulary for those people who do wish to make a report to the police.
No. Whilst at Treetops SARC, we will do all we can to advocate for your needs and support you to connect to appropriate services and to the police, Treetops SARC do not have any control over the criminal justice system or whether the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) decide whether there is enough evidence to for the police to arrest or not.
Yes, Treetops SARC has free parking.
Yes, of course you can if you choose to come to Treetops SARC. We understand how difficult it can be to talk about such difficult things like assault and trauma and we offer private lounges for you and people who you care about to accompany you if this helps you feel more at ease at such a challenging time.
This remains entirely your decision, but there are situations were accessing treatment such as contraception or STI and HIV prevention medications may be offered to you which we would, with your permission inform your GP of the medication which you were prescribed.
These records will be stored somewhere entirely private on your medical notes, and no one will know that you have accessed us unless you decide to tell them.