What we do

Out of hours support

Should you need to talk to someone out of office opening hours, please call our out of hours number and you will be referred through to one of our crisis workers who will give you advice on the services and support available.

Out of office telephone number 0303 1234 000

• You may be given contact numbers for other agencies who specialise in what you need, 
• Your details may be taken and one of our daytime ISVA's will call you on their next working day.

Please be aware that this is not an emergency number and should not be used in a dangerous situation. You should always call 999 if you are in danger or 101 if you want to report something to the police and it is not an emergency.

Forensic examination

A forensic examination may be offered to you within 7 days of the assault taking place. This is really important because it is a time when we can help address your medical needs as well as collecting forensic evidence.

If you need emergency medical attention then please go to the hospital or telephone 999.

Should you attend for an examination, a forensic examiner, crisis worker and an initial contact officer will be present.

The forensic examiner is a doctor or nurse. They will check that you are okay medically and they will then complete the examination as required. This will all be explained to you throughout and you can stop it at any point.

The crisis worker is there to help you and will answer any of your questions, explain the process, and help you however you need. It may sound like a scary or unusual situation but it will be discussed with you in detail and you can ask as many questions as you like.

During your visit to Spring Lodge, we will discuss issues such as your safety, sexual health and future needs. YOU are our priority and so we will support you and treat you with dignity and respect at all times.

Anonymous intelligence

We can also gather intelligence from victims wishing to tell the police about their perpetrator without reporting the rape or sexual assault and giving their name. This is called the Anonymous Intelligence Process. Anyone wishing to do this can make an appointment with a support worker. 

Telephone 01522 524402 (During office hours, Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm)

Telephone 0303 1234 000 (Out of office hours)

Each appointment with a support worker lasts around 90 minutes so our last appointment is offered at 3.30pm Monday to Friday.

Self referrals

You have the option of doing a self-referral at Spring Lodge where you can give a brief statement and, if appropriate, have a forensic examination without the police being informed.

Some people have chosen to do this because they are not yet sure if they want to report rape or sexual assault to the police but they want to tell someone for now. This gives them space to consider their options.

If you choose to do this, Spring Lodge, the Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC), will keep your information stored securely. Should you decide to go to the police in the future, they can then access your initial statement and samples if required. We do, however, have to consider your safety and the safety of others including the wider public. In such situations, we may need to tell someone else in order to do this, but we will keep you informed throughout this process.