Cumbria police campaign urges anyone who has suffered sexual abuse to seek support

At Cumbria Police, officers are trained to deal with these offences, investigate crimes and offer support to victims, which they do every day.

Over the coming weeks police are highlighting the work to tackle these offences and the support services available.

Officers are also urging anyone who has suffered such abuse to get in touch.

Even if victims do not want police involvement, police can help put people in touch with the many services available to help them.

Detective Chief Inspector Vicki Coombes is the rape and serious sexual offences lead for Cumbria Constabulary.

She said: "Sexual offences are horrendous crimes that have a profound and lasting impact on victims - and there is no place for these crimes in society.

“As a police force, we thoroughly investigate any report we receive and ensure survivors of sexual abuse are safeguarded and afforded appropriate support.

“We are committed to pursuing any identified offenders to bring them to justice.

“We have specially trained officers who are experienced in investigating reports of sexual violence and abuse and we work closely with victims to ensure they are supported from the moment they contact us.

“We recognise these crimes can be extremely difficult to speak about, which is why we also provide additional options for those who want to report to the police - and we work closely with support agencies across Cumbria.”

A list of services available in your postcode area are summarised at https://sexualviolencesupport.co.uk/

If you wish to report to police you can do so online at https://www.cumbria.police.uk/ro/report/ocr/af/how-to-report-a-crime/

Call police on 101.

Always phone 999 in an emergency or if a crime is in progress.