Rape and sexual assault are one of the most serious of all
criminal offences. It can inflict lasting trauma on victims and
their families.
There is a general perception that most rapes are committed by
men against women and they are not known to each other. In fact,
the majority of rape victims are women and most know their
offender, although rape is an offence committed against men and
women.
Rape and sexual assault also has a devastating effect on
families of victims.
Cheshire Constabulary understands what really matters is how
victims are treated, their immediate needs, medical or otherwise,
are dealt with properly and sensitively and they know they have
been believed. Additionally, we will follow every possible line of
enquiry in an attempt to bring any perpetrator to justice.
We want to explain what will happen from the moment a person
contacts the police to report a rape or serious sexual offence –
from collecting forensic evidence, investigating a case, the
support victims receive through to how the court process works.
We are here to help victims of rape to feel confident in getting
a positive outcome from the criminal justice system.
Remember, if you have experienced any form of sexual assault or
violence at any time in your life, it is not your fault. The fault
lies with the person who abused you – the perpetrator.
Teenage rape prevention
The teenage rape prevention campaign, launched on 5th March
2012, aims to prevent teenagers from becoming victims and
perpetrators of sexual violence and abuse.
As part of the violence against women and girls action plan, the
campaign encourages teenagers to re-think their views of rape,
sexual assault, violence and abuse, and direct them to places for
help and advice.
Building on the success of the campaign against teenage
relationship abuse, this campaign targets 13-18 year old boys and
girls to specifically focus on rape and sexual assault. The
campaign aims to:
- raise awareness of the issue of rape and sexual violence
- improve understanding of what constitutes rape, sexual assault
and consent
- empower young people to avoid, challenge and report sexually
violent behaviour
The campaign website, This is ABUSE, gives
teenagers the change to discuss the issues with their peers and get
access to third party support and advice.
Do you know if your teenager is in an abusive
relationship?
If you are concerned that your teenager may be in an abusive
relationship, the Spot teen
abuse leaflet provides useful information and
contacts.
Keeping yourself and your friends safe
- Arrange your transport to and from home before you go out for
the night.
- Make sure someone knows where you are going and what time you
will be home.
- Don't drink too much alcohol and keep an eye on the amount your
friends are drinking. Consuming large amounts of alcohol or taking
illicit drugs can make you vulnerable and could put you at risk of
a serious sexual offence, or rape.
- Don't let friends go off alone with someone, or do something
they wouldn't normally do. And don't get yourself into a situation
where you are isolated away from other people. Stay in a
group.
- Although drink spiking is extremely rare, don't leave your
drink unattended at any time and never accept a drink from someone
you do not completely trust.
- If someone attempts to engage you in sexual activity that is
unwanted, say no and make it clear that you do not give your
consent. Get away from the situation as soon as possible and tell
someone about it.
- If someone you know has been raped, you should encourage them
to report it to police straight away. Make sure to keep any
clothing and to not interfere with where the offence took place. Do
not wash themselves or any clothing to maintain any vital forensic
evidence.
- Remember, call 999 in an emergency. Anyone with information
about a crime can contact Cheshire Police on the non-emergency
number of 101. You can also call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800
555 111.