This month there has been a Home Office drive to tackle violence against women and girls, including sexual violence, domestic violence, human trafficking and genital mutilation.
Sexual Offences are covered under the Sexual Offence Act 2003, and includes all sexual contact which has happened without consent but also includes protection of vulnerable people, exploitation and grooming.
It is important to remember that sexual offences also happen to men and they can be victims of sexual violence.
They often do not report these offences due to shame however these crimes on men can have long reaching implications.
Sexual Assault Referral Centres are centres which offer support for all victims of sexual violence (including men and children) and ensure that they receive the help they need.
They include a self referral process which allows individuals to ask advice for sexual health issues, mental health and support as well as giving information on how to proceed through the criminal justice system.
Forensic evidence can be obtained for up to 7 days after an offence has occurred, although the sooner an examination takes place, the more forensic evidence is recovered.
The NHS does pick up the long term repercussions of sexual offences: long term mental health problems, sexual health issues and even unwanted pregnancy.
The numbers of those sexually assaulted each year, exceeds those the number of women who suffer a stroke and the level of domestic violence exceeds the numbers of diabetics in our community.
We need excellent support for this group of individuals who are often already vulnerable but many of the current projects are under threat due to public spending cuts and the lack of targets within the health setting.