Sexual Assault Response Coordination Service (SARCS)
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The Sexual Assault Response Coordination Service (SARCS) is a dedicated NHS service which can offer healthcare and support in the days after an assault, if you are not ready to tell the police or are unsure.
If you have recently been raped or sexually assaulted, it’s understandable if you don’t know what to do or where to turn.
What options are available?
Police report
If you have been raped or sexually assaulted, you can report it to the police at any time. If it is an emergency situation please dial 999, or for non-emergencies dial 101, or visit the Police Scotland website for help for victims of sexual crime.
Important: Self-referral to SARCS
If you have been raped or sexually assaulted within the last 7 days and do not want to tell the police, or are unsure about telling them now, you can self-refer to SARCS.
This means you don’t need a GP or other healthcare professional to refer you - you can do this yourself by using the NHS inform link below.
Further information about SARCS at NHS inform includes:
- videos about the NHS Scotland sexual assault self-referral phone service
- details of the further support that is available
You can phone a dedicated NHS telephone number 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and speak to a specially trained healthcare professional who can help to arrange the care you might need.
Turn to SARCS
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