How to seek help after sexual assault

Generally speaking, the sooner a police report is made, the easier it is for the police to investigate and prosecute the perpetrator. But a report can be made any time after an incident, no matter how long it has been.

It can be difficult to seek help amid the emotional distress one experiences after encountering sexual violence. But remember that sexual crime is never the fault of the victim, “no matter what they were wearing, how they were behaving, how much they had to drink or their sexual history”, as Aware puts it.

Aware’s Sexual Assault Care Centre (SACC) provides free and confidential services for anyone who has faced sexual assault and/ or sexual harassment, even if it happened years ago. Contact the SACC if you need help, or feel unsure about a sexual encounter and just want to talk.

You can also consider calling the National Anti-Violence and Sexual Harassment Helpline (NAVH) at 1800-777-0000 for advice. The NAVH is a dedicated 24-hour helpline operated by the Ministry of Social and Family Development.

And Shecares@SCWO is a one-stop support centre dedicated to people who are survivors of online harms such as harassment, abusive language, revenge porn, cyberstalking, or doxxing.

REPORTING A SEXUAL CRIME

 Going to the police Generally speaking, the sooner a police report is made, the easier it is for the police to investigate and prosecute the perpetrator. But a report can be made any time after an incident, no matter how long it has been.