Where to go
You should contact the Police (999)
Childline – for under-18s who have been raped or sexually abused - 0800 1111
RU Thinking – for advice on rape, assault or abuse - 0800 28 29 30
Barnsley Sexual Abuse and Rape Crisis Helpline – for women. Call 01226 298560 between 6pm and 8pm Monday to Thursday, or leave a message at other times and they can call you back at a time that suits you.
Doncaster Rape and Sexual Abuse Counselling Service – for men and women. Call 01302 328555 between 5pm and 7pm on Monday, 9.30am and 10.30am on Tuesday, or noon and 12pm on Thursday. They don't have a website but you can email them on counselling@drsacc.org.
What to do
You should contact the Police (999).
Telling someone that you've been raped or sexually assaulted can be very difficult, but it's very important that you do. You can chose to tell the police if you want to – they will have specialist staff who can help you support you after the rape and help you decide whether you want to go to court.
You can also go to your hospital or GP's surgery to get help from a doctor or a nurse. It's important to get any injuries treated, and you can get the morning after pill and treatment for STIs if you need them.
There are a lot of advice services who can help you with advice and support after you – or someone you know – has been raped. They won't tell the police or anyone else unless you ask them to. If you are under 16, the law says that your parents or other adults may have to be told if there is a danger that you will be harmed. If this happens, you will be told what's going on and be involved in what happens next.
Rape
What is rape?
Rape is sex without consent – that means sex without both people saying yes first.
It's a very serious crime and people who commit rape can be sent to prison for many years. Victims of rape can be women, men, girls or boys.
Rape is always wrong and never the victim's fault. It doesn't make any difference if the victim has been wearing skimpy clothes or had been talking to or flirting with the rapist earlier, or if they are or have been in a relationship with them.
If the victim is too drunk or drugged to give their consent to sex, then it's rape. Rape when the victim was on a date with the attacker beforehand is called date rape, and it's just as serious as rape by a stranger.
