what happens after an assault?

[mirroring]

Trigger warning.

Posting here for traffic I'm sorry.

What happens immediately following a rape? In terms of if I decided to report it. Also, if you report it can you change your mind? Even if it was in a public place by someone you don't know? I ask this because I wasn't sure if they'd have to continue to peruse it in order to protect the public. What do forensics entail, how long does it take? Etc. Etc. If anyone has any up to date knowledge at all that would be great thank you

You'll be asked for clothing etc, your body examined, your vagina, you'll be swabbed. A mood test will be taken and you'll give a urine sample. You can actually refuse some bits of the examination. You'll have to give a statement to the police. Please don't be put off if it's been a number of days and you've showered since as evidence could still be there. Hope you're ok op. I was raped by a taxi driver in my own home. Sending you lots of love x

Has this happened to you today?

Mood test? Blood test.

@Sillawithans

You'll be asked for clothing etc, your body examined, your vagina, you'll be swabbed. A mood test will be taken and you'll give a urine sample. You can actually refuse some bits of the examination. You'll have to give a statement to the police. Please don't be put off if it's been a number of days and you've showered since as evidence could still be there. Hope you're ok op. I was raped by a taxi driver in my own home. Sending you lots of love x

Thank you. Will I have to report it to the police? I'm unsure whether I want to and worried I won't be able to change my mind if I do

I'm sorry this happened OP.

It's one of those questions, how long is a piece of a string. Once you make a report, the expectation is that you will provide a formal statement or do video recorded statement. You will also be asked to complete an examination to gather forensic evidence. You do not have to provide a formal statement, but they will probably not take the investigation further if you don't.

If you do provide a statement, then even if you no longer want to go ahead with the case, the police and CPS may still decide to go forward with it, if there is enough evidence. You will still be asked to go to court if this happens.

You can refuse an examination but this may also make the investigation difficult.

Please call rape crisis 0808 802 9999 or RASCS (I don't know their number of the top of my head sorry!) for more advice.

Suggest you ask hq to put rape trigger warning in your title

Hi OP
I’m so sorry this has happened to you.
I’d suggest contacting a Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC).
You don’t have to report it if you don’t want to, to anyone.
And the police may have no evidence to work from for a prosecution even after a detailed investigation although of course it would be great if they did. I’m only saying this because it’s very scary to think of court proceedings or police interviews and so on.
I recently reported a sexual assault and the police were very good (not a rape).
You don’t have to support the police with their investigation if you do report it to them but it’s their decision whether to investigate and CPS to consider prosecution. Presuming that you are in the UK that is.
If you don’t feel up to that just now a SARC is a good option as is talking it through with specially trained people (counsellors and so forth).
The NHS website has a search function for SARCs

No, you don't have to report it op but I'm in a different country to you. The results of the exam were kept in my case for a year afterwards I think. If this happened to you recently I would encourage you to get help asap as you'll be offered emergency contraception and maybe PREP drugs.

It's a SARC you need as Blue4YOU says, google will tell you if you have one in your area. They'll take all the samples needed for if you do decide to report but it will be your choice whether you go any further. The dilemma of whether to report is really common and that's what the SARC's were designed for, it means you can take your time deciding what you want to do and the evidence is there if you decide you need it. I hope you're as ok as you can be and have someone to support you, we're here if not

If not done, please please please check with rapecrisis.org.uk/get-help/find-a-rape-crisis-centre/

They will have a lot of experience, including for your specific area, and be very very supportive. In the UK (as opposed to where I live now) there is excellent CCTV network facilities that have proved invaluable in serious crime detection. So if you do report to police, that may be supporting material.