About

The Great Western Hospital (GWH) has taken over the running of adult community healthcare services from SEQOL.

The New Swindon Sanctuary SARC serves a total Wiltshire population of more than 452,000 people. The numbers of people attending the SARC only represent a small fraction of the number of assaults believed to be happening in our county. Many go unreported every year.

The New Swindon Sanctuary SARC was established in 2006 as a means to provide a more comprehensive, sensitive treatment and counselling care service to the growing number of sexual assault victims. In 2011, the SARC became part of SEQOL – a Health & Social Care Enterprise. In addition, the SARC serves as a resource centre, providing information to communities and onward referral to other appropriate agencies in the county.

The New Swindon Sanctuary SARC aims to provide choice and confidential support in a welcoming environment for any adult or young person following rape or sexual assault.

At The New Swindon Sanctuary SARC we offer a range of services to give you the best care possible. We can give you some choices and breathing space if you have been recently raped or assaulted. We can offer counselling and support for recent and past incidents.

We are here to offer the support you need in an informal and confidential setting.

What choices do I have?

  • You can make a formal report to the Police about sexual assault at any time. We can help you to do this, and tell you how this works. If appropriate the Police will then arrange for you to have an examination by a nurse/doctor at The New Swindon Sanctuary SARC where evidence can be taken. We will provide someone to support you through this.
  • You can choose to have the examination by a nurse/doctor at The New Swindon Sanctuary SARC without Police involvement. We will provide someone to support you through this. Evidence can then be taken and stored for a period of time to give you some breathing space. There is no obligation for this to go any further legally, but we can help you with follow on care and support/counselling.
  • You may decide you just want to give details of the incident to someone; we can take these and pass them on anonymously. This may help with future prevention of attacks. You will not have to speak to the Police, or be identified, or have any examination at any time.