Tucked away in north Cumbria – its location kept under wraps for obvious reasons – the Bridgeway is a vital support service for men and women who are victims of sexual assault.

Since it opened in December 2015, the centre has offered support to 412 people, 253 of whom have been referred through the Independent Sexual Violence Advisor Service. In all, 115 have had examinations while 100 have been referred for therapeutic services.

More than 20 people have been in touch for information and advice and approximately one third of the reported incidents are for under 18s.

“One of the advantages of being a SARC (sexual assault referral centre) is that we’re able to take self-referrals from those aged over 16. Unfortunately we can’t do that for anyone under 16 because of child protection issues,” Donna Cardell, the Bridgeway’s manager, explains.

“In many cases, people self-refer because they want an examination in order to retrieve evidence.

“Tests must be done within seven days of the incident taking place. We can do that and we can also keep the results on file for up to three years. For a lot of people, it’s a very emotional experience.

“For example, at first they might have a fear of not being believed, especially if the abuser is a family member or a friend. They might not want to report it straight away and instead want time to consider what has happened. We can send those tests off at any time the victim wants, so we’re giving them that option.”

The Bridgeway also offers support services to victims of historical incidents.

“We’ve got a dedicated 0808 number that people can contact 24 hours a day, seven days a week, which is also free to call from mobile phones,” Mrs Cardell adds.

“They’ll also be put through to a local person who has that local knowledge about where to refer them to and guide them on what services are available.”

Reflecting on what has happened over the 12 months since the centre opened its doors, Mrs Cardell says that the impact it has had across Cumbria has been overwhelmingly positive.

“We’ve exceeded expectations in terms of the number of both examinations and self-referrals,” she says.

“When someone has an examination, we ask them to provide feedback and 78 per cent of people have given feedback.

“We get some comments asking if we can provide Jammie Dodgers instead of Hobnobs,” she jokes.

“But it’s things like that we take on board. What’s happened to them has been traumatic and we’re trying to make it comfortable.”

Looking ahead to the next 12 months and beyond, Mrs Cardell says the objective is simple. “We want people to keep coming forward.

“It’s about trying to reach groups who might be embarrassed about seeking support, such as the LGBT community.

“Although we’ve had men come forward, it’s predominantly been women and we want more men to feel that they can come forward.”

“The team has worked very hard to establish this new service over the last year, and it is a credit to them that since the Bridgeway opened people living in Cumbria have come forward and used the services,” adds Dr Rachel Preston, NHS Cumbria Clinical Commissioning Group’s lead GP for Eden.


DCI Andy Slattery “There is a real need for this type of physical and emotional support for people who are at their most vulnerable, and it is very encouraging to see people getting that care locally.”

Detective Chief Superintendent Andy Slattery, of Cumbria Constabulary, said: “The Bridgeway is providing a vital service in the county and our officers are working closely with the team there to ensure victims receive the highest level of support.

“We take all reports of sexual assault seriously and each report is dealt withsensitively and professionally.

“Our officers – dedicated specialists and investigators – make sure victims who report offences to us are aware of the support on offer at the Bridgeway.”

How one man was helped by the service

A 34-year-old man referred himself to the Bridgeway after visiting the Genito-Urinary Medicine (GUM) clinic for a sexual health check-up, during which he disclosed that he thought he had been raped.

The man, who said his recollection of events was hazy. Following an examination at the GUM clinic, a nurse explained about the services offered by the Bridgeway and recommended that the victim get in touch.

Donna Cardell, the Bridgeway’s manager, who also carries out examinations, said that she received a phone call from the man, requesting to visit for an exam, which was arranged the same day.

“The victim attended the Bridgeway and was seen by myself and the crisis worker,” she said. “He completed all the relevant documentation and was assessed as having mental capacity to consent to a forensic examination, which he did.

“As the case was a self-referral, the crisis worker takes the first account from the victim.

“This can then be used if the victim decides at any time to report the assault to the police in the future.”

Mrs Cardell said that following an examination, the man was found to have had some abrasions to his genital area. Forensic samples were taken and the man’s injuries were noted.

“A referral was requested for SafetyNet by the victim to help and support him through this difficult time,” Mrs Cardell added.

“Three weeks later the victim contacted us and requested that we report the incident to the police. This was done and is now in the legal process. He continues to get support from the Bridgeway.

“This assault would have gone unreported if the service wasn’t available for the victim.”