SARCs offer medical, practical and emotional support for anyone who has been sexually assaulted or raped. A SARC is a safe location staffed by specially trained NHS doctors, nurses and support workers.

The services offered by a SARC include;
• Immediate (non-emergency) medical support
• Injury documentation
• Forensic examination
• Advice regarding STIs and referral for STI testing
• Emergency contraception
• Psychological support
• Practical support and advice about options
• Access to an independent sexual violence advisor (ISVA) to help guide and support them through the process.

Devon & Cornwall SARCs has centres in Exeter, Truro and Plymouth offering support throughout the region.

Medical practitioners should contact Devon & Cornwall SARC (Sexual Assault Referral Centre) on 0300 3034626 or for wider non acute (more then 10 days) support they can submit a referral form.

If a person has been sexually assaulted or raped, they don’t have to report it to the police. However, as sexual assault referral centres (SARCs) offer forensic facilities for collecting of evidence (which can be used at a later date if a person changes their mind regards reporting the assault), there are important time frames to be aware of.

Acute – 7 days or less since assault = Forensic examination is possible. The earlier the referral, the better. You should advise patients not to wash, change clothes, or go to the toilet if possible. Private showers and toiletries are available at the SARC for use following examination.

Non-acute: more than 7 days after assault (adults 18+ years old) – Forensic medical examination may no longer be possible, although SARCs can still provide advice and support.
Non-acute: more than 7 days after assault (under 18 years old) –A medical examination may still be beneficial even though it may not be possible to collect forensic samples. SARCs would still recommend a referral.

Forensic samples can be stored for up to two years.

Referrals

Devon and Cornwall Sexual Assault Referral Centres offer a 24 hour information line: 0300 303 4626

In addition, their website has a dedicated resource area for professionals, including advice on how to refer.

More information and advice for medical professionals is available at www.sarchelp.co.uk

On arrival, patients are given the opportunity to speak alone with a crisis worker. When they feel ready, they will meet with the forensic physician or nurse who will tell them exactly what will happen during the examination. Everything will take place at the patient’s pace and they can choose to stop the examination at any point.

The forensic physician or nurse will ask about the patients’ medical history and sexual health. They will also ask some questions about the assault in order to guide the examination and determine which forensic samples are appropriate and what medical care is needed.

As well as documenting any injuries, forensic samples may be obtained during the examination. This is done by using swabs, tiny samples of patients’ hair and sometimes cuttings from their fingernails. Blood and urine samples are also obtained and in some cases, patients’ clothing may be stored for forensic analysis. Which forensic samples are taken will depend on the nature of the assault and the elapsed period of time since.

Risk assessments are undertaken for pregnancy, suicidal ideation, safeguarding issues, HIV, and hepatitis B exposure. This will then inform further care such as emergency contraception, initiation of HIV Post-Exposure Prophylaxis following Sexual Exposure (PEPSE), safeguarding referral, and sexually transmitted infection (STI) screening. PEPSE is medication to reduce the risk of HIV if they have been exposed to the virus.

Forensic medical examinations typically take 4-5 hours. After examination, patients can shower and are offered fresh clothing if required.

More information and advice for medical professionals is available at www.sarchelp.co.uk