Skip to content Accesskeys Newsroom

Rape and sexual assault

Rape and sexual assault affects people of all ages, both male and female. Sometimes alcohol or drugs are used in a sexual assault. The police and other organisations are there to help anyone who has been raped or become a victim of sexual assault.

What is rape?

Rape is when someone forces another person to have sex against their will. Most rape victims are female but there are also many cases where it happens to men. Sexual assault covers any sort of unwanted sexual contact or behaviour.

Often rapes are committed by someone who the victim knows. That includes members of their family or someone that they know socially. You can also be raped or sexually assaulted by someone who you're in a relationship with or someone you've never met before.

Rape doesn’t just affect adults. It happens to teenagers and young people too. When a victim is under 18, rape can often be referred to as child abuse.

What to do if you've been sexually assaulted

If you have been raped or sexually assaulted, you should report it to the police as soon as possible.

You will be dealt with sensitively by specialist officers. They will be experienced in dealing with victims of sexual assaults and will understand the distress and fear you may be feeling.

You may be asked to give the police the items of clothing you were wearing when you were attacked because they may contain traces of evidence that can identify the person who attacked you.

The police will also arrange for you to have a medical examination if you want to. The doctor may treat any of your injuries (depending on their seriousness or could refer you for specialist medical treatment) and also gather any evidence that may help the police with their investigation. The doctor will talk to you about the examination beforehand, so you understand what they're doing and why they're doing it.

The police will want to talk to you again as they investigate the crime. They will keep you updated with any developments in the investigation and let you know if you need to go to court.

Information for victims of sexual violence and abuse, including where to get help, a directory of services and changes in the law is available on the "Wrong" campaign pages.

Help for victims

Being a victim of rape or sexual assault can leave you with feelings of fear, confusion and distress. If you've reported the crime or not, Victim Support will be able to help you understand the emotions that you may be going through and point you towards other sources of help.

You may also find it useful to talk to an organisation that specialises in helping rape and sexual assault victims such as the NSPCC or Nexus or, for male rape victims, the Rainbow Project.

Advice for teenagers

Rapes and sexual assaults can be committed by someone you know including family members or an acquaintance, strangers or by someone you are in a relationship with. Things to remember:

  • pressurising someone to have sex or take part in sexual activity. Groping and sexual touching when they haven't given their consent is never acceptable for any reason
  • sex with someone who doesn’t want to or someone who has not given their consent and permission, is rape. It does not make a difference whether the people know each other or not, or what relationship they have
  • rape does not have to involve physical force -using verbal pressure or emotional blackmail to have sex with someone when they don’t want to is rape
  • consent is someone giving permission and someone feeling comfortable in giving that permission
  • you should never have to do something sexual that you don’t feel comfortable with, even if many of your friends are comfortable with similar situations
  • being sexually assaulted or raped is never the victim's fault

For information on where to get help and advice in Northern Ireland:

Find out more and have your say

The link below provides more information and advice and signposts to organisations that can provide specialist help in England, Scotland and Wales.

Drug and date rape

In many rape cases, the victim is given drugs without them knowing. This often happens by dropping drugs into someone’s drink (which is known as ‘being spiked’). Someone who has been spiked will become unaware of what is happening to them.

Date rape drugs sometimes cause memory loss too. The victim cannot remember exactly what happened and they’re left unsure about whether or not they have been raped.

To stay safe when you're out, never accept a drink from someone you've never met before. Always take your drink with you if you're going to the toilet. If you’re making a phone call, leave your drink with a friend.

The Roofie Foundation is the only organisation in the country that specialises in helping victims of drug-assisted rape and sexual assault. They have a helpline and provide safety tips about how to prevent drink-spiking. The helpline number is:

  • 0800 783 2980 (9.00 am to 9.00 pm)

More useful links

Useful contacts