Background: A sexual assault referral centre (SARC) is a model of service established to address the forensic and therapeutic needs arising following sexual assault. As yet, only a minority of urban areas in England are served by one, the rest of the United Kingdom (UK) being served by police victim examination suites.
Objective: To examine variations in service offered to complainants of sexual assault within the United Kingdom in 2005.
Methods: A purpose designed questionnaire sent to all areas of the United Kingdom. Data were received and analysed from 12 of 13 SARCs and 54 of 58 non SARC services.
Results: Very wide disparities in service, most marked between SARC and non SARC services. SARCs see a proportion of complainants from non-police sources. The non SARC services do not usually offer a forensic examination without police involvement, and a significant minority have so few doctors that they cannot provide a 24h rota for examinations. Inadequate numbers of forensic physicians are available for child examinations, and a robust service for 'acute child sexual assault' is virtually absent. Photodocumentation with appropriate safe storage is available in all SARCs, while 45% of non SARCs have no facility for photodocumentation. DNA contamination issues were perceived to be significant in many of non SARC services. Most non SARC services for adults do not provide baseline screening for sexually transmitted infection (STI) or offer prophylaxis against STIs. Follow up is by referral to local clinics which complainants may have to arrange themselves. Funded counselling is rare in the non SARCs with the exception of Yorkshire.
Conclusion: In the non SARC services, lack of co-operative working with local health services, lack of equipment, and lack of 'in house' medical follow up arrangements is the norm. Many areas rely on the good will of a small number of doctors to provide a service without a rota.
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