Part of: Process maps for legal justice
Reporting to the police
Use this process map to help you understand what will happen when reporting to police.
Making the decision whether or not to report
Deciding to report a sexual assault to the authorities can be difficult. Often there are many issues to consider when making this decision. People around you might have an opinion on what they think you should do and you may be rightly concerned about the way survivors can be treated by the authorities. But it’s important that you decide for yourself what is right for you.
YSM has a lot of information about the process of reporting an assault to help you make an informed decision. Whether you choose to report your assault or not, you can use YSM to find support services to help you understand your options.
It is also possible to change your mind and report your assault at a later date, or to report and then change your mind. Before you decide to retract a report, read information on YSM on potential concerns.
Stay strong and look after yourself!
Different ways you can report the assault to the police
It is okay if you don’t want to report. That decision is yours. If you decide to report, you or someone else can contact the police on your behalf. This can be done in a number of ways:
Phone 101 or 999
Report the assault online at Met Police’s website where you can find your local police force.
Visit a police station. You can find the nearest station on the Met Police website.
If you are in London and don’t feel ready to speak to the police, you can choose to visit a Haven. These are specialist centres for survivors of sexual assault that provide medical and emotional support in complete confidence. Find your nearest here.
If you want to provide information anonymously, you can contact Crimestoppers here.
Your safety should always be the most important thing.
If you are living with the abuser(s) you can make arrangements to speak to an officer without the abuser(s) knowing about it, at a time convenient to you by telling them about your situation.
If the sexual violence happened recently you should be asked whether you need any medical treatment and be given information on how you can preserve evidence. For non-emergency cases (eg. historical abuse) the police may request to make contact with you at a later date.
Sources:
Date checked: 10.11.2019
More ways to report than call & police station
Date checked: 7.11.2019
Date checked: 10.11.2019
If someone else reported to the police then they will take a detailed account from them
Time: Between one and three hours
If someone else initially reports your abuse to the police then they will need to take a detailed account from that person. This can be in the form of a written statement or a visually recorded interview. They’ll talk through both of these options with them beforehand.
If someone speaks to the police on your behalf then you do not need to talk with them yourself. Survivors have reported that this can leave you feeling powerless as you are unable to give your own account in your own words and rely heavily on someone else to relay the correct information.
Source:
Date Checked: 10.11.2019
Your first interview so the police can assign your case to the appropriate officer.
Time: Between two and five hours
After you report, the Police will arrange for a uniformed officer to talk to you immediately. Their first priority should be to check you’re okay and see if you need any emergency medical assistance.
After this, they will conduct an initial interview with you to hear as much detail as you can provide on what happened.
You can ask to be spoken to in a comfort suite. These are dedicated rooms specially designed for survivors of sexual violence to be less clinical than the rest of the police station and to feel safe and comfortable.
The police will be looking for answers to questions such as the following:
Who did this?
What happened?
Where did it happen?
When did it happen?
You can use the Timeline feature on YSM to record this in your own words before or after you go to the police.
Source:
Date checked: 10.11.2019
Your case is assigned to a dedicated officer who will be your single point of contact
Time: Usually within a week
Your case should be assigned to a dedicated officer who has been specially trained for dealing with your experience.
It is the responsibility of this officer to keep you updated on the case, during the investigation and any judicial (court-related) procedures. You should receive updates every 28 days, however sometimes this doesn’t happen. You have the right to know what is happening at each and every step. Feel free to ask them anything.
If you want specialist support from an Independent Sexual Violence Advisors (referred to as ISVAs), the dedicated officer can refer you to them. ISVAs are a great source of support for survivors, helping you not just with communicating and understanding procedures but also making sure you have all the support you need in other aspects of your life such as housing and benefits.
Source:
Date Checked: 20.01.2020
You will be referred for a health check to make sure you are okay and any evidence is collected.
Time: A few hours
At some point, you will be referred to a health clinic or a SARC (Sexual Assault Referral Center) depending on your immediate needs. Your dedicated officer will typically accompany you to this to make sure you are okay and that forensic evidence is collected. You have a right to see your medical records and bring someone to support you.
The clinic can also refer you to other specialists. Some survivors have said this process may feel clinical at times. We cover this in detail in the health section.
It is completely okay not to report to the police, you are still able to go to SARC without police support.
Source:
Date checked: 19.01.2020
You will be interviewed by the dedicated officer where your statement will be taken
Time: Between 1-3 hours
Even though you’ve already spoken to the police once, this will be your in-depth police interview where a detailed account will be taken by the dedicated police officer. It will either be a written statement or a video interview. Both these options should be discussed with you beforehand, otherwise please ask for your preferred option.
Ask for a copy of your statement. This is not something the police automatically provide to you but can be handy for the future, especially if you remember more details later or the recorded statement is incorrect. If the police do not provide you with a copy of your statement, remember you have the right to ask for it under the Victims’ Right to Review Scheme (VRR).
You will be assigned a case number that you can use while interacting with any authority. It is the duty of the officer to provide you with a status of the investigation at least every 28 days or sooner if there are updates.
Source:
Date checked: 19.01.2020
You should be referred to victim support organisations who can support you with your emotional and practical needs.
During this difficult time, support organizations can be there for you to provide information and advice on the criminal justice system. They can also provide the emotional and practical help that you need. Some of their helpful services can include advice on looking after your personal safety, getting treatment, and dealing with the criminal justice (courts) system.
Right now, what you might need most is to have someone listen to you; they can help you connect you to people who can listen and help you work through your feelings.
Source:
Date checked: 19.01.20
You can decide at any time to leave the process
Remember that you are able to leave at any time.