My friend/relative is looking for help

You may be unsure how to help someone who has just told you that they have been raped or sexually assaulted – so let us help!

There is a lot of information on this website which can guide you through how things work here at Spring Lodge, the Sexual Assault Referral Centre in Lincoln.

If you are still unsure about anything, please give us a call and one of our specially trained staff will help you:

Telephone 01522 524402 (during office hours)

Telephone 0303 1234 000 (out of hours)

Some advice from us to you:

• Listen to the person but don’t ask too many questions. They may only want to tell you some of the information and that is fine! For some people it takes a while to tell their story.
• Believe them – even if some bits don’t make sense to you right now. They have trusted you enough to tell you so please believe what they are saying and don’t ask why, who or what.
• Give them their options about reporting rape or sexual assault (going legal or not) but don’t judge them on what they decide.
• Don’t expect them to act in a certain way because everyone handles this situation differently with a variety of different emotions. 
• Don’t tell others. It may be tempting to discuss this with other people but make sure that you respect your friend’s privacy at all times. It is also important to know that you may be asked to make a statement should they choose to go to the police. It is important that the investigation isn’t hindered by lots of people talking about it.