Rape and Sexual Assault Self-Referral Campaign Update

SARCS is a dedicated NHS service which can offer healthcare and support following rape or sexual assault, if people aren’t ready or are unsure about reporting to the police. A smaller re-run of this campaign is live this month, consisting of social media advertising, search and PR activity.

SARCS offer a self-referral service, meaning that a GP or other healthcare professional referral is not needed; anyone aged 16 and over can self-refer. Across Scotland, SARCS will look after people's immediate healthcare and wellbeing needs and can support people to have a forensic medical examination if appropriate, subject to professional judgement. This includes collecting certain forensic evidence (which will be kept for 26 months) should they want to report to the police at a later date. 

Visit the SARCS campaign webpage on NHS Inform.

How You Can Help

You can show your support by:

• Sharing the campaign images and videos via your social channels
• Circulating the Stakeholder Toolkit with relevant contacts
• Displaying and distributing the leaflets and posters
• Re-sharing content via the Healthier Scotland Facebook page to your audiences

Stakeholder Toolkit

This toolkit contains the following:

• Campaign key messages
• Example social posts
• Social media images
• Two videos with health professionals explaining what the service is and its importance
• Posters (please note these work best in private, safe spaces, e.g. changing rooms and toilets)
• Leaflet and accessible options (Easy Read, Large Format and Audio with Braille options available upon request)

This leaflet is also available to download in Arabic, Punjabi, Simplified Chinese, Polish, Urdu, Gaelic and BSL.

If you have any questions on any of the above, please do get in touch. Your support is invaluable in helping us continue to spread the message of this important service.

All the best,

Victoria