Women and Newborn Health Service
Services A — Z
King Edward Memorial Hospital
SARC Have You Been Sexually Assaulted?
What Can I Do If I Have Been Sexually Assaulted?
Have You Been Sexually Assaulted in the Past Two Weeks?
Have You Been Sexually Assaulted in the Past (more than twp weeks ago)?
What Do I Do if I Want to Report It?
Always remember that you are not to blame for what happened.
What Can I Do If I Have Been Sexually Assaulted?
In most situations, what you do after a sexual assault is your choice. You can choose to see a doctor, to go to the police or do nothing. However, it is a good idea to see a doctor as soon as possible to make sure that any medical issues are addressed. These can include sexually transmitted infections, unwanted pregnancy or injuries. You do not need to tell the doctor what happened, but they may be able to provide better care if they know about the assault or abuse.
The staff at SARC can provide you a range of services. However, it is up to you to use these services if you choose.
How Do I Access These Services?
Call SARC on (08) 9340 1828 or 1800 199 888 and speak to a Duty Counsellor about the services that may be
available to you.
Have You Been Sexually Assaulted in the Past Two Weeks?
SARC will offer the following services to you if you have been sexually assaulted or sexually abuse in the past two weeks:
| Medical Care - | SARC doctors' first priority is treating any urgent health issues. If you have a serious medical condition or injury, you will be referred to an emergency department. A SARC doctor and counsellor can see you once any medical issues have been attended to. SARC doctors can provide you with free advice and treatment in relation to emergency contraception, the risk of pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections. You can request your medical test results and information on any future treatment to be given to your GP. SARC offers medical follow-up that may include swabs and/or blood tests or may arrange for your own doctor to provide the follow up if you prefer. |
| Forensic Care - | Forensic care involves taking non-genital photographs and samples of physical evidence as well as writing a
report on your physical condition. This evidence can then be used in any future court proceedings.
Forensic care is offered regardless of whether you have already reported the sexual assault or sexual abuse to the police. All forensic evidence is securely stored. Sometimes when people are not sure if they wish to report to the police, SARC can provide forensic services and then store these items to allow you time to make a decision. SARC will not provide any forensic evidence to the police without your permission. SARC has developed a forensic collection kit that many GP's and Hospitals in regional areas can use to collect forensic evidence on your behalf. |
| Counselling - | SARC counsellors are available to help clients cope with the immediate impact of sexual assault or abuse. Counselling is also available to the clients in the future, if they request it. Female or male counsellors, as well as female clinical psychologists are available. SARC also has an Aboriginal Liaison Officer to provide support to Aboriginal clients and their family, upon request. |
Please call the Crisis Line on (08) 9340 1828 or 1800 199 888 (freecall) if you have been sexually assaulted or sexually abused in the past 2 weeks.
All these services can be accessed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Have You Been Sexually Assaulted in the Past (more than two weeks ago)?
SARC will offer you the following services to you if you have been sexually assaulted or sexually abused more than two weeks ago:
| Counselling - | The main focus of counselling is on your feelings and reactions to the sexual assault or sexual abuse. Both male and female counsellors, as well as clinical psychologists work at SARC. You can choose to see a female or male counsellor. Counselling sessions are also open to family and friends. Female clinical psychologists are available at the Subiaco centre. An Aboriginal Liaison Officer is available to support Aboriginal people and their family access SARC services. SARC provides an 'outreach' counselling service in at least eight community based health and welfare services, extending from Rockingham to Joondalup, and also within various prisons. SARC also offers a range of group counselling sessions. Please contact the centre for more information. |
SARC does not provide services to perpetrators of sexual assault or sexual abuse.
Counselling is within business hours and counselling availability varies according to location.
Call the SARC Crisis Line during business hours on (08) 9340 1828 to learn more about counselling and counselling groups.
What Do I Do if I Want to Report It?
If you are over 16 years of age, and not at any on going risk, it is your right to choose whether you want to report the sexual assault or sexual abuse to the police. Only YOU can make this decision.
| People often choose NOT to go to the police because: | People often choose to go to the police because: |
| they believe no one will believe them | to feel believed |
| they already feel humiliated and guilty | to feel empowered |
| they know the person who assaulted/abused them | they don't want it to happen to anyone else |
| they think its their fault | they want justice |
| the person who assaulted/abused them threatened them if they told anyone | to let the perpetrator know that what they did was wrong |
| they're scared to go to court |
You may choose to do one of the following:
- If you are unsure if you want to report it or not, you can speak to the police informally, either on the telephone or in person. That means the police can give you information on what you will have to do and what the police will do, but they will not do anything unless you want them to.
- You can make an informal report, which means that the police will write down what happened and then you sign a statement saying that you do not want the matter investigated.
- You can give police a formal statement
about what happened and they will investigate the incident.
If you change your mind later you must tell the police
as soon as possible. However, if the police have already
charged someone, then you can not take back your statement.
During the investigation the police might ask you to take
them to the place where you were assaulted so they can
gather evidence. They may also interview any witnesses
to the assault.
Sexual assault and sexual abuse are "crimes against the state" in Western Australia. That means that the police and the Director of Public Prosecutions decide whether they have sufficient evidence to prove "beyond reasonable doubt" that a crime has occurred. Therefore, if you make a formal statement to the police, you become a witness to the crime and the police or the Director of Public Prosecutions decides whether they have enough evidence to "press charges".
Going to court can give you a chance to feel empowered, but it can also be a confusing and terrifying experience. It might be helpful to speak to someone at Victim Support Services as they can provide you with information about the court proceedings and offer you support. Victim Support Services may have a Support Worker available to go to the court with you.
Trials usually take place in the District Court, unless the perpetrator is under 18 years old. Because there are many steps in the investigation of a crime it can take 2 years or more between the initial report to the police and a trial. Some cases will not make it to trial because there is not enough evidence to go to court. This does not mean that those cases are not believed.
It is important to remember that no matter what the outcome of the trial, there is no right or wrong way to feel. Often people feel better knowing that they were able to speak out about their experience, even if the verdict is 'not guilty'.
- You can choose to not tell the police.
SARC will respect and support ANY decision you make, regardless of whether you decide to go to the police or not.
