What are my options?

Following an incident of sexual misconduct, which can take many forms, including but not limited to those defined above, students may disclose in different ways. Students may choose to disclose the incident to a member of staff to seek support. This is not the same as making a formal report to the RVC for the purposes of initiating the Student Misconduct Procedure. A disclosure is simply a student telling a member of staff what happened so they can be directed to support and explore reporting options.

In addition to disclosing to a staff member, students wishing to make a named or anonymised disclosure of sexual misconduct or harassment can also use RVC Report and Support to do so. The action that the RVC can take when receiving anonymous reports will be limited but we will use the information to help identify any trends which can help direct prevention and support initiatives.

All disclosures will be treated confidentially and sensitively and appropriate support will be offered to anyone making a disclosure.  

Following a disclosure .you have the choice of what to do next and can choose to:

1) Report to the Police

2) Report to the RVC

3) Seek Support only

You can get support from the Advice Centre or request to speak to an adviser through our online Report + Support tool to discuss the available options in more detail and we will also organise any other wellbeing support or academic adjustments that you may need.  

Report to the Police

The police have specially trained officers, who are very experienced in helping victim-survivors of all forms of gender-based violence including rape, sexual assault, domestic abuse, stalking and image-based sexual abuse. To make a report to the Police you can call 101 or in an emergency call 999.

If you would like more information on this option, you may wish to discuss the police procedure with an Independent Sexual Violence Advisor (ISVA). An ISVA can provide you with impartial information to enable you to make choices by providing you with an overview of the police process and what to expect. You can access an ISVA through a Sexual Assault Referral Centre or some specialist support organisations such as Rape Crisis.

Report to the RVC

You can choose to report an incident of sexual misconduct and violence to the RVC to initiate the Student Misconduct Procedure. This is separate from disclosing an incident to a member of staff.

You may submit a report under the Student Misconduct Procedure by completing the Student Misconduct Procedure Reporting Form. This form can be used by students  to make reports against students and/or staff.

If you are unsure whether to report to the RVC, have questions about the process, or would like to discuss things further, you can speak to a Student Wellbeing Adviser who can support you and can liaise with our Student Resolution and Compliance team as necessary to help you make a fully informed decision.

You can also contact the Student Resolution and Compliance team directly with any questions about the procedure if you prefer.

Consider Your Options

You may need time to decide what you want to do next. You may choose to seek support as you consider your options. The Sexual Assault Referral Centre offers forensic medical exams, support, counselling, and sexual health screenings. You can have an exam without police involvement and the evidence can be stored. The Sexual Assault Referral Centre can also help you consider your reporting options.

By attending the Sexual Assault Referral Centre, you can seek support, receive practical help and learn more about your reporting options while giving yourself time to consider what to do next.

Evidence can be kept at a Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC), such as The Havens, and be stored for several years. This allows you to make a formal report at a later date if you don’t want to report straight away but might want to take legal action later.

SARCs work in partnership with the police, health services and the specialist voluntary sector with the aim of enabling a survivor of a recent sexual offence to access all of the services they need in one place. A survivor can access a SARC even if they don't want to involve the police.

What happens at a SARC?

Medical Treatment

The type of treatment available can vary, but generally, a survivor of recent sexual violence can have a medical check-up and receive emergency contraception, treatment for STIs and medications that prevent HIV infection.

Forensic Investigation

A forensic examination will be carried out at the SARC by a Forensic Medical Examiner (FME). A survivor can request that the examination be done by someone the same sex as themselves, although sometimes males prefer a female doctor if they have been assaulted by another male.

The forensic medical examination will involve taking swabs and samples from the survivor's body, taking photographs of the survivor's injuries and carrying out an examination of the clothes they were wearing at the time of the assault.

What other services do SARCs provide?  

Services at different SARCs may vary, but in general, as well as receiving medical treatment and a forensic examination at a SARC, a survivor can:

·       Meet a crisis worker. Crisis workers are independent from the police and are there just to support the survivor during their time at the SARC.

·       Discuss reporting options including what would happen if they decided to report to the police.

·       If a survivor does decide to report to the police, they can be referred to an Independent Sexual Violence Advisor (ISVA) who will provide information and support up to and including the stage of a court appearance.

·       Be referred to a counsellor.  

SARC contact details

Camden Sexual Assault Referral Centre:  Sexual Assault Referral Centre - The Haven Paddington, Contact Telephone Number: 020 3299 6900, Website: www.thehavens.org.uk

Hawkshead Sexual Assault Referral Centre: Herts Sexual Assault Referral Centre, Contact Telephone Number: 0808 178 4448 - 24 Hours, Website: www.hertssarc.org Email Herts.SARC@nhs.net

There is also an online service that helps people locate their nearest sexual assault referral centre: www.nhs.uk/Service-Search/Rape_and_sexual_assault_referral_centres/LocationSearch/364   

Choose Not to Report and Seek Support Only

You may decide that you do not want to report to the RVC or Police. If this is the case, the RVC will still offer you support through the Advice Centre and will refer you to specialist services if you prefer. See our ‘Get Support’ page for further information.

There is no time limit on when you can make a report. 

You can also access a range of support information through our RVC Report and Support website.