Immediate Services

If someone has been raped or sexually assaulted we offer the following services:

• Forensic medical examination by a specialist female or male doctor. This examination will be carried out as sympathetically as possible, and can be undertaken whether the police are involved or not.
• Emergency Contraception and referral to sexual health services.
• Support will be available from a dedicated support worker when you attend the centre.
• Risk assessment of any potential future harm will be undertaken and if necessary a safety plan will be discussed to prevent ongoing danger. Staff at the Saturn Centre understand that many assaults are committed by someone known to the man or woman assaulted.

If you come to the Saturn Centre without having contacted the police first, the doctor who sees you will take forensic samples, but only with your permission.

If you agree, we can give these samples to the police for forensic analysis without disclosing your identity.

The police will then store the samples until you have decided whether or not you would like to talk to them.

If the forensic analysis identifies evidence that is of particular interest to the police, we will let you know and give you details to help you with your decision.

Also see Follow-up Services.