What to Do if You Have Been Sexually Assaulted

  • Published
  • By Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Program
  • 100th Air Refueling Wing
RAF MILDENHALL, England --  - Go to a safe location away from the attacker.

- Preserve all evidence of the assault. Do not bathe, wash your hands or brush your teeth. Do not clean or straighten up the crime scene.

- Contact your Sexual Assault Response Coordinator (SARC). They will provide information regarding medical care and reporting options. They can answer any questions you have. The SARC is available 24/7 and can be reached at 238-7272 or 01638 54 7272.

- Write down, tape or record by any other means all the details you can recall about the assault and your assailant.

Local Prevention and Response Resources
Giving first-class care to a victim, regardless of where he or she is located, constitutes the core of the Air Force Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Program. In order to provide consistent levels of care, the RAF Mildenhall Sexual Assault Response Coordinator (SARC), Rebekah Downs responds to each report by a victim, ensuring that their needs are met and that the appropriate level of care is provided to every victim. The SARC has created a team of professionals that serve on the Sexual Assault Response Team (SART). The SART consists of representatives from the medical profession, law enforcement, criminal investigation, legal and the Chaplain's office. The agencies represented can play significant roles in response to the needs of a victim of sexual assault. These roles are determined by the type of reporting option that the victim desires.

The SARC manages RAF Mildenhall's sexual assault prevention and response program, serving as the single point of contact to coordinate sexual assault victim care. In addition, the SARC tracks the services provided to the victim from initial report of a sexual assault through disposition and resolution of the victim's health and well-being. The SARC trains volunteer Victim Advocates to provide support to the victim and in understanding the recovery process that a victim might experience as a result of being sexually assaulted. A Victim Advocate can assist a victim in navigating the Air Force response network. They are not counselors, therapists, or investigators, but instead, they provide accurate and comprehensive information on available resources to the victim. The combination of these services allows a victim of sexual assault to make informed decisions about their own needs and to better understand the options open to them regarding reporting a sexual assault and the pathways that flow from those options.