My university has a group of students leaving for the U.K. for a study abroad program, and the Health Education office is preparing information cards regarding sexual assault, particularly on what they would need to do in case of an emergency. I suggested that they have 999 on the card, since that differs from our 911, but other than that, is there anything else that should be included? Is there a national number for rape counseling, etc.?

Thanks!

twina

Check out http://www.rapecrisis.org.uk/

Lots of good advice and contact details for a local centre.

You might need to personalise the cards depending on where the students will be staying.

999 is a good number for any medical/police/fire emergency.

I presume they will be attached to/sponsored by a college/university. These have their own arrangements for students who need help.

I guess your embassy details would be good too, and any local consulates.

Depending on where the students will be, you may find local universities' and colleges' websites listing useful emergency numbers in their student welfare/counselling sections.

Very good advice.

I'd also consider any information on alcohol poisoning. Not even US college students can keep up with the Brits.

If all students are staying together, you might want to add the address and directions to the nearest A&E.

If they are in college housing, the college or uni may provide that info but never hurts to list it twice.

There have been a few posts on here recently from Americans going through the most extraordinary contortions when needing an emergency visit to a doctor in Europe - often involving phone calls to find doctors in the US.

Since falling over drunk, walking into the path of an oncoming car, remembering they've forgotten some urgent medicine or needing the morning-after pill (as a result of totally consensual hanky-panky) are far, far likelier medical emergencies for students than rape, I hope the Health Education Office has told them how to get emergency treatment here, and how to deal with the near-inevitable (and unavoidable) delays in A&E departments in all our university towns.

If they haven't: if you can walk, don't mess with 999, but get a taxi to the nearest A&E (the driver will know, but as Cathinjoetown says, it doesn't hurt to know in advance) and prepare for a very long wait.

Any sexual assault should be reported to the police despite the fact that it will not always be uppermost in the mind of the person subjected to it. In the days, months, years following the experience of having suffered a physical assault, psychological symptoms can arise. Sometimes these can involve whether the person responsible should have been prosecuted.
If an assault is reported first to the police your medical treatment will involve preservation of evidence which will be used to mount a prosecution.
If you proceed to a hospital and await treatment, you as the patient will be the prime concern of the hospital and delay in treatment could result in destruction of evidence.
On the other hand if you are arrested for sexual assault, the police will ask you if you want a solicitor and this service is free. You should always take this up. If you do not know the name of a local specialist, then the duty solicitor will be called.This is not a second best option as outside of large cities the duty solicitor will be drawn from a panel of the best practising solicitors locally.
Do not make any admission without a solicitor present. In fact say nothing at all about the offence-even if you are told that it might speed things up.
Finally it may be tempting to skip the country. You could be extradicted back here.If charged you would then inevitably be kept in custody until the end of your trial. This means that even if acquitted eventually you will have spent a long time in prison.

Thanks for all the great suggestions!

the uk has some very backward laws concerning this subject. for example, in northern ireland a rape victim can't even terminate the pregnancy but is forced to have the baby or travel overseas to seek medical help. this is not a modern society.

I'm quite sure your group will be fine.
Hang onto 999, but we are not a country of mass rapists, no matter what u read in the papers.

Just behave with common sense as you would at home.

"Is there a national number for rape counseling, etc.? "

Are you expecting or planning for someone to be raped? for gods sake the chances of rape happening is actually quite remote.

just enjoy the trip.

Muck

Walkinaround,

I don't have time to look this up but I don't believe your comment is accurate for Northern Ireland.

When I lived in the Republic of Ireland mid-90s, there was a very famous case of an underage girl (12 or 13), rape victim of a family friend, who had to go outside the country to get a pregnancy termination.

Since then, I believe the Republic may have changed its policies, but I don't have current information.

or needing the morning-after pill (as a result of totally consensual hanky-panky)>>>>>

Flanneur is clearly a better Catholic than I or he would know that the morning after pill is on open sale in all chemists. So you don't need to see a doctor to get it.

Books like the Rough Guides have a section on emergency contacts - that's usually pretty comprehensive.

The thing I would suggest they do have is the emergency number for their health insurance. In fact the NHS usually treats foreigners for no charge (it's too much effort to collect) but it could be that one of your party might fall foul of the petty Hitlers that the NHS has in droves.

BTW 112 works as an emergency number where ever you are in the EU.

Mucky - those were kind of my thoughts when they asked me if I had any suggestions.

Actually, when they asked me what would be good to put on the cards, I said, "Well, bugger me" probably wouldn't be a good choice....

Warner,

The NHS in Wales has figured out how to collect from foreigners, at least at the local practice level.

I expected to pay and did not mind paying. I was charged for the doctor's consult and for writing (not filling) a prescription which I then took to the chemist to be filled.

Very good, prompt care and very good value compared with similar service in the US.

Cathinjoetown
Someone has to pay for us Welsh to have free prescriptions..lol


twina49
"Well, bugger me" probably wouldn't be a good choice...."

Your probably right..lol

Muck

cathinjoe...i'm talking about northern ireland which is part of the UK, not the republic which is a completely different country (i assume you know this?).

abortion is illegal in NI even in the case of rape.

even if the victim gets on a plane or boat to travel to another part of the uk, our nhs will deny her an abortion just because she lives in NI (other uk residents are entitled). therefore she will have to pay for a private one after travelling to a part of the uk where choice is legal. or have the baby or have a back alley procedure at home.

this is insult to injury. we are a shameful third world country.

I do know Northern Ireland and Republic of Ireland are two separate countries. I lived in the Republic (or was just in process of moving to England) when the case I mentioned was all over the media.

And, I wrongly assumed that because NI is part of the UK it would have similar, laws even though I do know that many laws have either devolved to or were always held by the countries which make up the UK.

I obviously am totally wrong and should have tried to look this up before I questioned your post.

I must say I am amazed by this and while I thank you for correcting me, I'm sorry, like you, about NI's position.

There are charities which provide abortions for women from Northern Ireland in the rest of the UK. Around 2000 women a year travel to the UK for an abortion.
Given that the Northern Irish assembly is made up of two groups of extreme religious fanatics it is highly unlikely the law there will be changed in the foreseeable future, even though the NI FPA won a human rights case regarding abortion in NI.
No sure any of this is relevant to twina49's question though.

Not 100% relevant but it certainly has been enlightening for me.

My niece is an attorney with the Center for Reproductive Rights based in NYC. She also would be embarrassed of my ignorance!

Thank you.