Sexual assault procedure??

[FuckADoodleDooo]

NC for this one, desperately hoping someone can help.

I reported a sexual assault by a health professional to the police some time ago. This report was made within 3 hours of the assault, I had not changed clothes or washed, drove straight to a friends house and broke down and told them.

Does anyone know what procedures the police should follow in this instance please?

TIA

Take off and bag up your clothes, they will want to examine you and question you. I was assaulted when 13 but unfortunately he was not charged and now he has a shit hot job and I never got over it. Police are shit and I’m waiting for the day I will get my revenge

I would have assumed that they would have put in motion whatever needed to be done to do a forensic examination, but this is based on watching TV rather than actual knowledge. I thought women who reported rape/sexual assault were taken to a SARC where they were examined and interviewed and their clothing, etc taken for evidence.

I am so very sorry this happened to you.

Thank you. I waited 2 days before I was told they were not going to examine me or do forensic testing. They did not take a statement of first contact (from the first person I told, I believe it's called something like that). I have what was supposed to be a video statement, which seemed to be more of an interrogation. They interviewed him, he denied everything, and the police deemed no further action. It was not even passed to the CPS for a charging decision, the sergeant of the investigating officer refused to take it any further. This person has had a private clinic for 10+ years, and the police claimed to have spoken to all his previous patients within less than a week, and said nobody else had complained! Also neither him nor his practice were registered with the information commissioner for data protection (which is now a crime, not just a civil matter), and the police have ignored that completely. After the no further action decision was confirmed to me over the phone, I asked why and was told an explanation would be given in writing. This was in the first half of 2018 and I am still waiting. I was initially told I would receive this within a week, now when I call to ask why the delay, I am told "these things take time"! I have tried to speak to the inspector to make a complaint, but they refuse to contact or speak to me. I was taken advantage of at one of the lowest points in my life, and I know he will do this again unless I can stop him, but I just don't know what to do now. This is crippling me, and I am having psychotherapy, but I just cannot cope with the fact this could happen to someone else, and no-one will listen to me and take action to stop it. ANY advice gratefully received, I feel more desperate by the day

I have no idea how to help

For sure this has been grossly mishandled by the police

I hope someone else can help

My guess would be that you can't do anything through legal channels about him as the police aren't interested and they never bothered getting any evidence

An official complaint about it is all you can do I'd think, I don't know how you do that either though

I hope someone else has more help

That sounds terrifyingly negligent, and incredibly distressing and stressful for you.

This website here offers some suggestions of ways to make a complaint. Unfortunately, if you complain to the IOPC, it will be forwarded straight to your local force who seem to be handling it abysmally already! They do suggest your MP as well, but it depends very much on how strong you are feeling.

This site lists what should happen when you report a sexual assault quite clearly, but does relate to rape and sexual assault by penetration. I don't know if the procedure is different for different types of assault; I'm sorry.

Thing is op doesn't want to complain she wants this man investigated properly and that's not going to happen. As they never took any evidence and its ages ago.

She's worried he'll assault more women.

If he does op, that is on him, and on the police. Not on you at all xx

Thank you everyone. Yes Fraggling, I'm sure I'm not the first and won't be the last. Many years ago I was raped by a fellow student at college. It was the 1980's and I wasn't strong enough to go to the police. Two months later he raped a friend of mine which resulted in pregnancy, and she never forgave me for not reporting him, and I'm sure I would have felt the same. I have never forgiven myself.

Logically, I know it would not be my fault if (more likely when) he did this again. Emotionally, if it did and I were to find out I think it would finish me. I already have complex PTSD from a lifetime of trauma and being brought up by a male parent with narcissistic personality disorder (I can no longer bring myself to call him my father).

I desperately want to stop this creature ruining more lives, but I also wish to bring the police to account for their appalling treatment and inaction. But I have no friends or family to help, and not a clue where to start. I feel dead inside

The pp put up a post with link to how to complain
Email mp is another
Not really what you want but might help you feel like you're doing something, which can make you feel a bit better.

I'm really sorry these men assaulted you.
Your friend was it of line blaming you really but in our society this is the way it goes., i can understand why you didn't tell and also why she was angry. The blame lies with the man of course.