Victim advice - Cheshire Constabulary

Chester Sexual Violence Support Service

Helpline: 01244 317 922

CSVSS offers free telephone support, information, signposting and face to face counselling to women aged 18 and over who have experienced sexual violence at any time during their lives.

Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Centre (RASASC) Cheshire & Merseyside

The Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Centre (RASASC) Cheshire & Merseyside provides Indpendent Sexual Violence Advisors and Counselling to women, men, young people and their families who have experienced any form of sexual violence. Support is offered from a variety of outreach locations across Cheshire East, Cheshire West and City of Chester, Halton and Warrington.

Website: www.rapecentre.org

Email: support@rapecentre.org

Helpline: 01925 221546

Helpline opening hours: Monday to Friday 8.30am-4.30pm

Rape Crisis

Rape Crisis provides a range of special services for women and girls that have been raped or experience another form of sexual violence, whether as adults or children.

www.rapecrisis.org.uk

Women’s Aid

Women’s Aid is a key national charity working in England to end domestic violence of women and children.

0808 2000 247

www.womensaid.org.uk

Victim Support

Victim Support is the national charity for victims and witnesses of crime in England and Wales. They give free and confidential advice to victims of crime, their family, friends and anyone else affected.

Call 01270 750 068 for the Cheshire Victim Support Group. Nationally the number is 0845 3030 900

www.victimsupport.org.uk

Survivors UK

Survivors UK provides information, support and counselling for men who have been raped or sexually abused.

0845 122 1201

www.survivorsuk.org

Profile: PC Mel Knight, First Response Unit

When Cheshire Police are called upon to deal with an incident involving a sexual assault or a rape the first officers who are called to deal with the incident are the response officers. The role of the response officers involves them dealing with incidents contact from a victim and are often the point of contact for the victim throughout the whole procedure.

PC Mel Knight has been one of these officers for seven years. She said: “When a sexual assault or rape is called in, it comes to us first. We look at the name and address and run checks on the person and the address. We also check the CAVA database which holds information on vulnerable people and child welfare and domestic violence.

“When we arrive at the scene our first concern is to speak to the victim giving them as much support as we can whilst gathering information on what has happened.

“It is very difficult to get the information we need as the victim is often distressed and upset but we need find out quickly if they know who it is that has done this to them or if the attack was by a complete stranger. We need to know this so we can alter patrols or get assistance to increase the chances finding the offender as quickly as possible.”

One of the duties of the first response officer will be to preserve evidence that will help in the investigation and prosecution of the offender. In cases of sexual assault or rape officers are trained to preserve evidence whilst being mindful of the trauma the person has endured.

The preservation of evidence is vital if a prosecution is to bring an offender to justice and can involve protecting the scene where the assault or rape took place, be it inside a premises or in an open space like an alleyway or park. It also means preserving evidence like DNA on the victim’s clothing that may have been passed from the offender whilst he or she was committing the crime.

Mel explains: “It can be hard for the victim to understand but this part of the job is vital if we are to get justice for the victim. We will need to take the persons clothing to send to lab for testing and we ask them not to wash until they have been seen by a medical professional. We may take the person home if they have turned up a police station to get a change of clothing before we go with them to one of our facilities that deals specifically with sexual assaults and rape.”

“We are met at the suite by an officer who has specific training in this area and their role means they will be there to support the victim right through the investigation process. Essentially that’s where my role ends, but if I’ve built up a rapport with the victim and to help them through any examination needed I will stay with them.”

I’ve been raped. What should I do?

You may be feeling disorientated and confused. You may be finding it hard to believe what has happened to you. It is common to have feelings of guilt and to blame yourself in some way for what has happened. You may have such thoughts as: 'I shouldn’t have had so much to drink', 'I should have tried to fight back' or 'I shouldn’t have gone back for a coffee'.

It is most common for victims of rape not to fight back and instead they will freeze and become passive, this is due to our natural instincts to survive and doing nothing may be the best way to survive the attack without being seriously hurt.

If you report the rape as soon as possible then you may have to undergo a medical examination which may take some time. The police’s first priority is your welfare and safety. Everybody is unique - your needs will be important and you will be dealt with according to what suits you best.

You'll be taken to Stepping Stones, a dedicated medical suite away from any police stations, where you'll be supported through the medical procedures. You will be given a full explanation of the stages of the investigation by a Specially Trained Officer and be given options of how you want to continue. If you wish to take the case to court you will advised about the best forms of giving evidence in court.

The information obtained from you is used by the police and the Crown Prosecution Service to prepare a court case.

When you give your account to police, it is important to be totally honest about what has happened. Please do not leave anything out, no matter how embarrassing it might be. If you can't remember everything, it is okay to say so.

Be honest and tell the police about how much you have had to drink or if you took any recreational drugs. It is important to be as accurate as you can, to assist the investigators when they formally interview the person who has attacked you. To prevent that person from transferring the blame upon you or make out that you were not telling the truth.

Forensic evidence can be crucial to the successful prosecution of a case. However no matter when it happened or the circumstances surrounding it, you should talk to the police who can help you decide what to do.

Forensic tests look at obtaining any evidence from where the offender has had contact with you so if possible, do not:

Wash (including having a shower or a bath)
Brush your teeth
Have a cigarette
Eat or drink
Change your clothes - or keep them safely to one side
Clear up anything from the area of the incident

You will be able to have a shower after the examination at the suite if you wish to do so.

A trained doctor working for the police carry out the medical forensic examination and photographs may be taken of any injuries.

If you do not want to involve the police then the Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Centre will be able to give you support and advice including counselling services if required. You will not be forced to report it to the police if you don’t want to. They will be there to help you get through your ordeal and they will deal with you in the strictist of confidence.

You can contact them using the details in the sidebar.

You’re not alone – the system is there to help you

Cheshire Police, support services and the Crown Prosecution Service take cases of serious sexual assault and rape very seriously.

“It really is about knowing that there are people within the system who are really dedicated to putting these cases before the court,” Jane Large said.

“The police, the counsel, everybody that’s involved in all the support agencies can assist them through out the process. They shouldn’t be afraid of the Criminal Justice System because we are there to help them and these are very important cases.

“We understand that it can be very difficult for everyone. We want to put the best possible case forward. It’s really about not being afraid of the Criminal Justice System.

“It’s amongst one of the worst crimes there is out there. We do treat victims with compassion and dignity. We do prosecute robustly.”

Victim Personal Statement

This is a statement made by a victim explaining the effect that the crime has had on them. In the statement, victims can explain their wishes or needs during the case and whether they want help from any of the support agencies.

They can say whether or not they support a prosecution and can raise their concerns about issues such as their safety, any intimidation or the defendant’s bail.

Victims can make more than one statement which can help explain how the crime has affected them in the longer term. Victim Personal Statements are included in the case papers and are seen by everyone involved in the rape case, including the defendant and his lawyer. It’s also viewed at bail hearings.

Victim Personal Statements help the prosecutor and the judge to understand the crime, and its effects and consequences. Victims have the right to choose whether to make a Victim Personal Statement and whether they need help to make a statement from a support worker or family member.

For more information about Victim Personal Statements, please read this Crown Prosecution Service guidance:

http://www.cps.gov.uk/victims_witnesses/reporting_a_crime
/victims_personal_statement.html

The Code of Practice for Victims of Crime can be found here:

http://www.cps.gov.uk/victims_witnesses/victims_code.pdf

Independent Sexual Violence Advisors

Independent Sexual Violence Advisors (ISVAs) provide targeted professional support to victims of sexual violent crime. These professionally trained specialists work alongside victims from the point of crisis, such as initial contact with emergency services, throughout the legal process and beyond.

Some advisors are based in Sexual Assault Referral Centres(SARCs) or specialist sexual violence voluntary organisations.

They provide the link with essential services such as victim and witness organisations, counselling and health, to ensure that the safety of the victim is co-ordinated across all agencies.

There are 3 Advisors based in Cheshire please contact Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Centre (Cheshire and Merseyside) on 01925 221546 to speak to your local ISVA.

Rape victim advice