Who you tell when you have been abused

When you are ready, tell someone you have been sexually abused.

You will not get into trouble when you are ready to talk about what has happened.

There are lots of people you can talk to.

Talk to someone you trust.  For example:

• a friend 
• a family member
• your doctor
• someone you trust at work
• someone you trust at a day centre
• the police. 

If the person you talk to does not listen to you, talk to someone else. 

You can also talk to people who have had special training about sexual abuse .  This might be on the phone, on a webchat service , or face to face.

All of the phone numbers in the list below are free to phone.

• Rape Crisis

Website : https://rapecrisis.org.uk/get-help/want-to-talk/  Rape Crisis have a webchat service. 

Phone: 0808 500 2222

To find your nearest Rape Crisis Centre, you can look at the list of centres or type in an address, city or postcode on the Find a Rape Crisis centre page.

• Police

 Phone 999 if it is an emergency.

 Phone 101 if it is not an emergency.

• Learning disability helpline

Email: [email protected]   

Phone: 0808 808 1111

• Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARC)

A Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC) is a special medical place for anyone who has been raped or sexually assaulted.  Men, women, young people and children can use a SARC.  The services are free.

To find your nearest SARC you can look at the maps or type in your postcode on the support in your area page.

• speak to an Independent Sexual Violence Adviser (ISVA)

To find your nearest ISVA you can look at the maps or type in your postcode on the support in your area page.

• Childline 

Website: www.childline.org.uk  You can chat with a counsellor online.

Email: If you set up a Childline account, you can email a message.

Phone: 0800 1111

• Refuge 

Refuge offer support for people who have experienced domestic abuse .   Domestic abuse is when a member of your family or someone you are in a relationship with, controls, hurts or abuses you.

Website: www.refuge.org.uk  The website has a webchat service.

Phone: 0808 2000 247

• Supported Loving

Supported Loving wants people with a learning disability and autistic people to have the support they need so they can have sexual and romantic relationships if they want to.

The Choice Support website has information about Supported Loving: https://www.choicesupport.org.uk/about-us/what-we-do/supported-loving  

The next part of our sexual abuse guide is about the information used to make this guide.

Or you can go back to the introduction to choose to go to a different part of the sexual abuse guide.