How to let women know they dont have to report their rape to the police but can still get support from a specialist centre

[stumbledin]

Have been reading the thread www.mumsnet.com/Talk/womens_rights/3754683-why-are-women-still-being-pressured-to-report

And I think it has come up before but there are specialist centre where women can go if they have been raped to get receive support and advice, and leave evidence which could later be used in other rape cases without having to go to the police.

The idea for these centres came from feminists (women's liberationists) who campaigned on behalf of women who had been raped as they recognised that not every woman would want to go to court.

The ones in London are called Havens www.thehavens.org.uk/visiting-us/external-support/

Or you can search the NHS web page which explains the service, to see if there is one in your area. www.nhs.uk/live-well/sexual-health/help-after-rape-and-sexual-assault/

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(To find is there is a rape crisis centre or helpline in your area rapecrisis.org.uk/get-help/find-a-rape-crisis-centre/ England and Wales - the national rape crisis helpline is at www.rasasc.org.uk/. For Rape Crisis Scotland Helpline and find a local service www.rapecrisisscotland.org.uk/help-helpline/ There isn't a Rape Crisis Northern Ireland and there was talk a Women's Aid NI and a men's project setting one up but have just seen this group says it has the contract for the NI National Support Line for Domestic and Sexual Violence nexusni.org/useful-information/helplines/ and NI SARC therowan.net/. In Ireland there is a network of rape crisis centres and a national helpline www.rapecrisishelp.ie/ )

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I think the best way to get this info out there is to share it on social media if it is in your area, and hopefully others will share it too.

Unfortunately the NHS link only covers England so I don't know if there are any local to me.

Wow. Had NO idea these existed. Thank you for the info. to share.

Thank you.

Social media?

Could you approach businesses with public toilets to see if info leaflets/stickers can be put inside cubicle doors.

Sorry typed this very late last night and was concerned this info didn't seem to be widely known.

On the other thread I think I said that Scotland is about to introduce self referral, and I didn't have time to look at Rape Crisis Scotland to see if they have links.

In Northern Ireland there is the Rowan Centre (link on other thread) and this new helpline.

And in Wales there is a new gov. helpline for domestic and sexual violence support and it has contacts for SARCs gov.wales/live-fear-free/sexual-violence
I think info via social media might work, but was thinking that in fact to have cards with numbers on left in women's toilets (if you can find one) but in cinemas and bars, but also in hairdressers, and so on. Even now I am more awake trying to find the right number view the internet is time consuming, so although a bit retro, a card with the relevant number(s) for your area / region seems more direct.

Though appreciate for anyone who has just suffered male violence you might not be thinking of anything clearly.

My worry is that I have a horrible feeling that many of these services will be facing cuts and service short fall. Some rape crisis centres have waiting lists for counselling of up to a year.

(the other thread was about women who have been raped being told they should report - but obviusly no one can tell a woman that, and that is why feminist in the early days did think of the idea of SARCs)