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Young People

Our staff are trained to support people of all ages, and we have specialist young persons workers for those aged 13 - 18.

The most important thing we do at The Havens is to make sure you are okay, and to help you recover from the assault.

What we do when you first come in

Firstly, our specialist doctors will ask you about the assault.

Then they will examine your body to try to find evidence of what happened to you. These examinations are voluntary. They will only happen if you say they can.

We will advise you about how to deal with a possible pregnancy. If you need it we may give you medication to help prevent some sexually transmitted infections (STIs).

We’ll organise an appointment for you to come back in for follow-up care if that’s necessary.

As well as taking care of the physical effects of the rape sexual assault, we will help you deal with the emotional impact.

We can also arrange for you to get support from other local services.

What we do in follow-up care

During your follow-up care you can see a specially trained young persons worker.
These workers help you to get the right medical follow-up, such as tests for STIs, and medicines if you need any treatment. They can answer any questions you have about your sexual health. You can talk to them if you have any worries. If you want, they can organise for you to see a counsellor or gp to another specialist service if you are finding it difficult to cope.

General advice for young people who have been sexually assaulted

It’s helpful to tell someone as soon as possible about the assault. That way you get the support you need. Try to talk to someone that you trust and feel comfortable with, such as a parent, friend, teacher or doctor. We can also help here at the Havens.

As a young person, you have a right to confidentiality. However if they are worried about your safety, the professional people you talk to might need to speak to a doctor or social worker. They will discuss this with you so you have the chance to talk about how you feel about it. They must take any worries you have seriously.

Here is more advice to help you cope with sexual assault:

• A Guide for Young People booklet [ Adobe PDF 2.5MB]
• Booklet for parents [ Adobe PDF 130KB]
• Violence prevention booklet [ Adobe PDF 903KB]

Download our guide to sexual violence and the law for young people aged 13 to 17 ‘Your rights, your body, your life’. The booklet gives step by step information on reporting to the police and the criminal justice system. It also includes a case study and examples as well as a drawing of a court room and a directory of support services.

• Guide to sexual violence and the law for young people aged 13 to 17
  [ Adobe PDF 497KB]

The above files all require Adobe Reader which can be downloaded from Adobe's website.

A Guide for Young People addresses common myths about the subject, explains terms and outlines the law. It also gives detailed practical advice, describes common emotional reactions to assault and suggests ways to cope.

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