Sexual violence is the term we use to describe any kind of unwanted sexual contact, act or activity. ‘Unwanted’ means that you have not consented or agreed by choice. This can happen with someone you know or someone you don’t. 

Sometimes, it can be hard to tell somebody “no”. If you felt pressured into doing something sexual, or felt like you couldn’t say no safely, this is also assault.

What matters is how it felt to you. If something didn’t feel right, it’s ok to reach out, even if you are not sure how to describe what happened. 

Support available

There are many free, non-judgmental and discreet specialist support services in Nottingham. Here staff will listen to you, believe you, and work to meet your needs and help you decide what you would like to do next.

If it happened recently

If the assault happened in the last few days, help is available, including

• PEP (medication to reduce the risk of HIV) which can be taken up to 72 hours after the incident.  If it has been over 72 hours since the assault and you are concerned about HIV, don’t worry. Testing and alternative medicines are still available.

• Emergency contraception (the morning after pill) — works best the sooner it’s taken.
• STI testing and treatment.
• Pregnancy testing and follow up care.
• You can choose to have forensic evidence collected and stored, so you have more time to decide what to do.

These services are provided by the Topaz Centre for Adults (18+) and Coral Cove for children and young people.

The Topaz Centre is a sexual assault referral centre (SARC). It offers free and confidential support for adults (18+). This service is for people in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire who have experienced sexual violence. 

The people there can help with any immediate health needs or concerns. They will also provide you with emotional support. They can help you make decisions about taking and storing forensic evidence. Storing evidence will give you time to decide whether or not you want to go to the police. 

• Available 24/7.
• You can self-refer, police involvement is not required.
• Depending on when it happened, they can take and store forensic evidence.  This can be used to support an investigation, if you later decide to talk to the police.
• Can help you access onwards and longer-term support.

Visit the Topaz Centre website

24hr Helpline: 0800 085 9993

Notts SVS Services are available to adults who live in Nottingham or Nottinghamshire, who have been affected by any form of sexual violence. They can help whether it happened recently or in the past. They offer:

• A range of therapeutic, counselling and advocacy services
• Helpline support and bookable drop-ins
• Referrals by phone, online or via email
• Adaptive services to meet your accessibility needs

Independent Sexual Violence Advisor support is available for people who choose to report to the police. This can include support during the court process. Notts SVS Services offers helpline support and bookable drop-ins.

Visit the Notts SVS website

Call Notts SVS on 0115 941 0440

Coral Cove is a sexual assault referral centre (SARC) for people under 18 in the East Midlands. It is based at the Queen’s Medical Centre in Nottingham.

They support children and young people aged 0 to 17 in the East Midlands who have experienced rape or sexual assault. It does not matter when it happened.

The service also supports young adults up to 24 with learning disabilities. They offer personalised medical and emotional support.

Visit the Coral Cove website 

24hr Helpline: 0800 183 0023

Imara is a Nottingham-based charity. It supports children, young people and their families affected by sexual or domestic abuse. The service is for ages 0 to 17.

They offer support across Nottinghamshire, including therapy, one-to-one support, and group sessions.

Visit the IMARA website 

Call IMARA on: 0115 752 6083

The Consent Coalition shares information about sexual violence and consent. They also help you find local support in Nottinghamshire.

They have created a booklet called “Your Journey – sexual violence – a survivor’s guide to support and reporting”. It explains options for adults reporting a sexual violence offence and how to get support if you live in Nottinghamshire.

You can find it online at the Notts SVS website.

There are lots of reasons that can make deciding about whether to report or not a difficult choice. Nottinghamshire Police have specially trained officers. They will support you if you choose to report what happened. They will also support you through the process. They will also provide advice and guidance on where to access specialist sexual violence support. 

Emergency Number: 999 

Non Emergency Number: 101

The full details on how to report a sexual assault or act of sexual violence are on the Nottinghamshire Police website. 

Many people have questions or concerns about reporting sexual violence. Sexual violence is about not having consent, not about how or where it happened. 

It doesn’t matter how long ago it happened. It doesn’t matter whether you fought back or not, or what you were wearing. It doesn’t matter where you went with someone, or if you were drunk or had taken drugs. Support is available and you can still choose to seek help.