Private: Health and Wellness

Sexual Offences

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WHAT ARE SEXUAL OFFENCES?

  • Sex offences are crimes that are covered by UK Law under the Sexual Offences Act 2003

RAPE AND CONSENT

  • Rape includes penetration of the mouth as well as penetration of the vagina or anus by the penis.

The new measures of consent are designed to redress the balance in favour of victims without prejudicing the defendant’s right to a fair trial, to help juries reach just and fair decisions on this difficult area of criminal law:

  • Consent is defined by England & Wales law as: a person consents if he or she agrees by choice to the sexual activity and has the freedom and capacity to make that choice.
  • All the circumstances at the time of the offence will be looked at in deciding whether the defendant is reasonable in believing the complainant consented.
  • People will be considered most unlikely to have agreed to sexual activity if they were subject to threats or fear of serious harm, unconscious, drugged, abducted, or were unable to communicate because of a physical disability.

 

Here’s an animated video to help you understand CONSENT

 

SEXUAL ASSAULT

Sexual assault covers a range of behaviours which include

  • Sexual touching (any part of the body), fondling, includes touching over clothes

 

WHAT CAN YOU DO IF YOU HAVE BEEN RAPED?

You may be in shock, feeling quite unsure what you feel or what you want to do about the incident.

Call the Emergency Phone 07957473159 or Make an appointment with Health &Wellness Advisor: email lwatkins@syr.edu

In meeting with the advisor, you can discuss what your options are:

  • You can share as much information or as little as you would like to share
  • You will learn about certain time frames used within the forensic examination depending on which area of your body has been violated
  • Discuss the most common reactions to sexual assault, rape, other sexual offences, cognitive distortions that occur, use of alcohol or drugs used or present during the time of the incident.
  • Discuss how to take care of yourself with options of seeking medical advice about physical trauma, pregnancy, exposure to HIV, or Sexually Transmitted Infections.
  • Know you rights in UK law and reporting and examination options
  • Be supported to make a decision to report to the police.
  • Discuss how this incident may impact on your University school work and living circumstances while in London.

 

SARC SEXUAL ASSAULT REFERRAL CENTRES

Why would I attend a SARC?

There are specialized centers, which look after the victims of sexual offences. They are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

They will offer

  • Medical Examination
  • Forensic Medical Examination (to retrieve forensic evidence)
  • Support from a Crisis worker

Self-referrals

Self-referrals are another way for you to have a forensic examination without involving the police. This may be the route you wish to take in case you change your mind about reporting the incident to the police. Forensic evidence can be retrieved from your forensic examination and the evidence is usually stored for a number of years and can be used as evidence in legal proceedings, if these take place.

Additional offences include preparatory offences, such as:

  • drugging a person with intent to engage in sexual activity with that person;
  • committing any offence with intent to commit a sexual offence; and
  • trespassing on any premises with intent to commit a sexual offence;

CONTACT US

Please email lwatkins@syr.edu or call +44(0)20 7400 9316 – nwsilman@syr.edu or call +44 (0)20 7400 9331 or visit Faraday House, Old Gloucester St, London WC1N 3AE room SR 106

RELATIONSHIP VIOLENCE

Health & Wellness offers a confidential space to support students who may have experienced relationship violence. We believe it is important for our students to be supported and to know their rights and options for reporting on and off campus.

We would encourage all students who experience such behaviours from others to make an appointment to discuss further is a safe and confidential space with Health & Wellness advisor Lisa Watkins. To make an appointment email: lwatkins@syr.edu