There is no right or wrong way to feel following an incident of sexual assault or rape. What happened was not your fault. What you do next is your choice.
Safety. Prioritise feeling safe. If you do not feel safe then you can contact emergency services on 999 and LSE security team on 020 7955 6555.
Speak to a trusted person. Reach out to someone you know and trust. Rape Crisis have a 24/7 helpline available on 0808 500 2222.
Attend the Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC). SARCs can offer confidential medical and practical support to anyone who has been recently raped or sexual assaulted. There are SARCs located in London and these are called The Havens. To contact them for urgent advice and appointment bookings call 020 3299 6900. This number is available 24/7.
To access SARCs in other locations, please visit Help after rape and sexual assault - NHS
For general enquiries and to help you with queries about your follow-up and aftercare appointments, call 020 399 1599.
Key information about the SARC
You have full choice and freedom as to what help you receive at the SARC.
You do not need to report to the police to access support from the SARC.
All genders and sexualities are welcome at the SARC.
Attending the SARC as soon as you can following an incident can be helpful with regards to gathering forensic evidence. Please note, the Havens are an appointment based service.
The SARC offers the following services:
Forensic medical examination. If you attend without involving the police, the SARC will safely store any forensic evidence while you take time to decide whether you want to report.
Immediate medical care and arrangements for follow up.
Click here to understand What happens at the Havens | The Havens
LSE security team can arrange for transport to and from the Havens and you can be accompanied to the appointment by a friend, family member or partner.
Due to new regulatory requirements for all SARCs in England and Wales, access to the forensic medical examination (FME) suite is limited to the patient and the specialist staff. As a result, others are not usually able to access the FME suite and when it is necessary they are required to provide an elimination DNA sample.
Whilst the patient is with specialist staff, a friend or family member will be able to make use of local facilities.
If you are considering a forensic medical examination, and potentially reporting the incident, try not to:
Eat or drink.
Smoke.
Wash any part of your body (including your hair)
Brush your teeth. If you have brushed your teeth, place your used toothbrush into a clean paper bag.
Change your clothes. (but if you do so, keep them safely)
Go to the toilet or discard any tampons or sanitary towels. If you have to go to the toilet, you can do this into a clean container.
Tidy the area where the assault took place.
If you have already done these things do not worry, it is not too late to collect evidence, you can:
Place any clothes that have been removed, or bed sheets or used condoms into separate clean paper (not plastic) bags with a note of when this was done. These can be stored in the freezer to preserve them for longer.
Preserve any other possible evidence (e.g. photos, text messages or email trails)
LSE security services can cordon off areas as a crime scene and advise the student/member of staff on the preservation of evidence and in some cases, store it.
LSE security service will have access to CCTV and access data.
Time limits
There are time limits on collecting forensic evidence, therefore you should contact the Havens as soon as you feel able to following an incident to get their advice and guidance.
LSE CCTV footage is replaced every 28 days.
Preventative treatment for HIV must be started within 72 hours.
Emergency contraception should be started as soon as possible, but please seek advice from a pharmacy, GP, sexual health services or the Havens.
The Havens recommend that you have a full sexual health screening two to three weeks following a sexual assault as sexually transmitted infections can have a major impact on your health and it is important that you get the right treatment as soon as possible. It’s up to you which services you use for any follow-up care. There are a number of options. You can attend your local sexual health clinic or access a home testing kit from Sexual Health London. If you wish to discuss this further, please call the Havens.
Get Support from LSE
All students and staff at LSE who have experienced sexual violence have access to free, confidential and independent support. To refer into this specialist service please see here: Independent Sexual Violence Support Service
For other support services in London, please contact London Survivors Gateway: Looking for support after sexual violence?