- Overview
- Directions
- Contacting us and opening hours
- Frequently asked questions
- Young people
- Useful resources and links
Type
Sexual Assault Referral Centre (SARC)We see anyone in Northamptonshire who has been raped or sexually assaulted. Men, women,young people, and children of all ages. We also see anyone under the age of 18 from Northamptonshire and Leicestershire. We treat you as an individual because everyone’s experience is different. We’re here for you whether you’re straight, lesbian, gay or bi, or if you identify as trans (LGBTQ+). What’s important to us is you and your wellbeing, not your ethnicity, gender, religion, sexual orientation or what you do. No one at Serenity will judge you. We’re here to help and make things easier for you. You don’t need to be referred – it’s totally up to you if you want to see us. We can offer you treatment, advice and support, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Who is this service for? If you have been raped or sexually assaulted we will offer you (and your family) practical help and emotional support, including what you want to do next and support you in your choices.
How to access this service: Via Police, Social Services, GP, or self-referral by contacting us direct. Our service is confidential, and we will not pass on any information without your
knowledge or consent.
Address
Highfield Clinical Care Centre, Cliftonville Road, Northampton, Northamptonshire, NN1 5BUMap
Contacting us and opening hours
Sexual Assault Referral Centre
Entrance D
Highfield Clinical Care Centre
Cliftonville Road
Northampton, NN1 5BU
Advice helpline: 01604 601713
Mon-Sun: 24 hours
365 days
Office number:
Telephone: 0300 027 0040
Fax: 01604 745001
Email: serenity@nhft.nhs.uk
Monday-Friday: 08.00-18.00
Frequently asked questions
What is an Independent Sexual Violence Advisor (ISVA)?
An Independent Sexual Violence Advisor ( ISVA) will:
- Contact you to offer ongoing support.
- Discuss and assess your needs.
- Offer face to face emotional and practical support and maintain contact with you by phone, email or text.
- Refer or signpost you to other services that can help you.
- Offer continued support throughout any criminal proceedings.
- Assist you with Criminal Injuries Compensation (CICA) claims.
What services do you provide?
If you have been raped or sexually assaulted we will offer you (and your family) practical help and emotional support. Including what you want to do next and support you in your choices. We can provide you with information and support for as long as you require it and/or refer and signpost you to other organisations that can help you.
Contacting & helping you
We will contact and help you in the way you prefer. This can include by telephone, email, virtual, text or face to face meetings.This will be either, here at Serenity or at a location nearer to you.
Forensic Medical Examination
The purpose of the examination is to both look after your health care needs following an assault. If you want it, it can be used to collect forensic samples that could assist in a police investigation. These samples can be passed to the Police or, if you are not reporting, stored by us in case you wish to report the assault in the future. All examinations are carried out by a doctor trained and experienced in this field.
Emergency Contraception
Our Doctors can provide the emergency contraceptive (morning after) pill within 72 hours of the assault and alternative medication for up to 5 days after. They will also talk about all other choices available to you.
Pregnancy Testing
If you think you may be pregnant as a result of an assault then we can offer pregnancy testing.
Advice and screening for sexually transmitted infections
The risk of getting some infections can be reduced if medication is given as soon as possible. The Doctor will evaluate the risk based on what has happened to you and discuss it with you; if necessary the doctor will start a course of treatment, referring you to a specialist clinic for follow up.
Police involvement
If you report the assault to the Police we will support you and work with the police to keep you informed; however, we won’t pass on any information to them without your consent, or unless you request it.
Self Referring clients
If you self refer and don't want police involved, you will be supported in this and given exactly the same services. We will offer the opportunity whereby you can provide information to the police anonymously, which might help them identify a pattern of offences, but this is entirely your decision.
Support for Partners, Family and Friends
This can be a difficult time for partners and family and Serenity offers help and support for them too.
Who can access the service?
Anyone who has experienced or reported a serious sexual assault in the past 6 months – men and women; if your experience is more historic (and you haven’t reported it in the last 6 months), you can still ring and get information about how you can get help.
Do I have to be referred?
No, you can self refer to the service. If you are under the referral age you can still ring and get help to talk to someone. All you need to do is contacts us on our helpline number, or email us at serenity@nhft.nhs.uk
Do I have to report it to the police?
You do NOT have to make a report to the police to access our service and the decision will be yours, but we can help you speak to a specially trained officer if you want to.
We can also help you give information anonymously that we can then pass on to the police for you. This will allow officers to gather vital intelligence that may help prevent future attacks, but they won’t know who you are.
What if I don’t want to tell you my identity?
You can keep your identity private if you want to – just give us a name you want us to use; we can use this even if we refer you on to specialist sexual health clinics or to other support services.
How confidential are you?
We are completely confidential and we won’t pass on any information without your knowledge and consent. (Exceptionally, we will talk to you about making a disclosure where there is a child protection or public safety issue.)
What if I am worried about pregnancy or sexual infections?
Our doctors can give you the morning after pill; if it is too late for that they can give you something else that works up to 5 days after; they can risk assess you for sexual infection, start you on immediate medication and directly refer you to a specialist sexual health clinic.
Why do I feel like this?
Victims of rape and other sexual assaults commonly feel a range of emotions and effects; you might be experiencing:
- Fear & distress
- Anger or frustration
- Guilty or self blame
- Helplessness
- Anxiety
- Sleeplessness
- Lack of concentration
- Afraid to go out
- Unable to make decisions
- Reluctant to talk to people or socialise
- Problems with family, friends or work
Whatever you are feeling talk to us, we are here to listen and to support you.
What if I am a man?
Rape or sexual assault happens to both men and women; we offer a service to anyone in Northamptonshire, tailored to your specific needs.
What if it is historic or happened a long time ago?
We will talk to you about the help and advice you need. We have organisations available that we can get in touch with which can help you.
Will I sit in a waiting room with people I may know?
It’s important that we offer you a confidential service, so as far as possible we will provide you with the privacy you need.
I am a professional looking to refer a child or young person into this service
For more information on how to refer a child or young person into the Children and Young People East Midlands Sexual Assualt Service (EMCYPSAS) please click here.
Young people
About Serenity for young people
We are here to help children and young people under the age of 18 who have experienced rape or sexual assault in the East Midlands. We offer comprehensive services from initial medical examination through to follow-up care and therapeutic support. We work alongside Child Independent Sexual Violence Advisors (CISVA’s) who offer support throughout the police reporting system.
Contact details
The centre based at Highfield Clinical Care Centre, Northampton is one of two hubs in East Midlands with the other being based at Queens Medical Centre, Nottingham. The centres are accessibly 24/7, 365 days a year and can be contacted on 0800 183 0023. The helpline is for referrals to be made from professionals or for those who have been a victim of sexual assault and need directing to the service.
Information for professionals
The Children and Young People East Midlands Sexual Assault Service (EMCYPSAS) service provide a 24-hour, confidential helpline for the East Midlands. The service operates via a single point of access number: 0800 183 0023 and is a channel to get the right help for children and young people at the right time.
EMCYPSAS provides medical care and holistic assessment following sexual abuse for children and young people up until they are 18 years old, up to 24 years of age if a young adult has a learning disability. This service is in two hubs in the East Midlands, based in Nottingham and Northampton. Follow-up care will then be offered close to home.
Both hubs are fully adapted for people with disabilities but please let our helpline staff know if the person you are referring has any additional needs or if they require an interpreter.
For more information and for details on the pathway for a Child or Young Person referred to EMCYPSAS please read the East Midlands Children and Young People’s Sexual Assault Service professionals leaflet by clicking here.
What is a Child Independent Sexual Violence Advisor (ISVA)?
We provide face to face, telephone, text and email support to children from 8 -18 years, families and carers. The service is primarily aimed at those referrals where a criminal investigation is taking place. We will see and assess other children and young people and signpost or refer them on to other agencies that can best meet their needs. An Independent Sexual Violence Advisor (ISVA) will:
- Contact you to offer ongoing support.
- Discuss and assess your needs.
- Offer face to face emotional and practical support and maintain contact with you by phone, email or text.
- Refer or signpost you to other services that can help you.
- Offer continued support throughout any criminal proceedings.
- Assist you with Criminal Injuries Compensation (CICA) claims.
Useful resources and links
Contacts - other organisations
Click here for the link to Northamptonshire against domestic and sexual abuse
Click here for the link to Northamptonshire Police
Call 101 or if you are not in a safe situation or need help urgently, please dial 999)
Click here for the link to Voice website
Provides general emotional support and help after a crime
Mon to Fri 8am to 8pm: 0300 303 1965
National support line including weekends 9am to 7pm: 0808 1689111
Click here for the link to Witness service
Provides help and support for victim and other witnesses at court, Crown Court and all Magistrates’ Courts
01604 603978
Click here for the link to Northamptonshire Rape & Incest Crisis Centre
Provides counselling for people who have been raped – 14years and over
01604 250721
Click here for the link to Rape Crisis National Helpline
12 to 2pm and 7 to 9.30pm everyday: 0808 802 9999
Click here for the link to Sunflower Centre
Provides help for people experiencing domestic violence
Northampton office: 01604 233684
Corby office: 01536 204691
Click here for the link to Domestic Abuse National Helpline
Freephone 24hr: 0808 2000 247
Click here for the link to a list of Sexual Health Clinics
Clinics available across the county
Click here for the link to CODS
01480 878409
A helpline for survivors of abuse who struggle with dissociative disorders
Click here for the link to the Childline Website
0800 1111
Confidential free telephone advice and support service for children and young people
Click here for the link to the Samaritans
08457 90 90 90
Click here for the link to the website Can
A service for adults and young people who have problems with drugs, alcohol and homelessness in Northamptonshire
Click here for the link to Child ISVA
Child ISVA provide face to face, telephone and email support to children from 8-18.
Click here for the website NAPAC
A charity supporting recovery from child abuse.
Resources - leaflets
Useful information and services that can help leaflet. [pdf] 638KB[pdf] 266KB
Click here for the Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) Resource Pack