Jimmy Savile: Help and support

A range of charities and organisations can be contacted for help and support if you have suffered criminal activity or sexual abuse.

You can contact your local police, who are the only people with the proper powers to assess criminal allegations.

However, the Metropolitan Police, which is leading the Savile investigation, is also asking people with information or concerns to contact the NSPCC on its 24-hour helpline on 0808 800 5000.

The NSPCC is a charity specialising in child protection and the prevention of cruelty to children and offering information, advice and counselling to adults concerned about a child's safety. You can also contact the charity by email, at [e-mail].

If you have an allegation about inappropriate behaviour on BBC premises, or by BBC presenters or other staff, you can inform the BBC Investigations Unit in confidence by calling 020 8752 4168 during office hours.

Other resources

If you need help and support, the following organisations may be able to help:

The National Association for People Abused in Childhood is a charity that offers support and advice to adult survivors of any form of childhood abuse. It can be contacted on 0800 085 3330 or visit the website.

Rape Crisis (England and Wales) offers help, support and information about rape and sexual violence, and can give details of your nearest Rape Crisis Centre, which specialise in rape trauma support and counselling.

The helpline offers support to male and female survivors of rape or sexual abuse over 14 years of age, however long ago it happened. It can also offer help and support to partners, friends and family. Call the national helpline on 0808 802 9999.

If you have been sexually abused recently, Sexual Assault Referral Centres (SARCs) are specialist, round-the-clock services which provide medical care and forensic examination following assault or rape, counselling and - in some locations - sexual health services.

Services are free of charge and provided to women, men, young people and children (although not all centres may currently be able to assist children).

SARCs are mostly able to assist in the immediate aftermath of an assault and can store the forensic results until you make up your mind whether to report to the police or not.

You can find a list of Sexual Assault Referral Centres (in England and Wales) on the Rape Crisis website - select the link for reporting a rape, which you'll find down the left-hand side.

If you do not wish to take legal action, it may still be important that you receive medical attention.

You do not have to have a forensic examination if you go to a SARC, hospital accident and emergency department or your GP, but you may need to receive treatment for any injuries, emergency contraception or to check for sexually-transmitted diseases.

If you are in Scotland, Rape Crisis Scotland provides a national rape crisis helpline for anyone affected by sexual violence, no matter when or how it happened. The helpline offers free and confidential support and information. The charity can also put you in touch with local rape crisis centres or other services for ongoing support. Contact Rape Crisis by phone on 0808 801 03 02 or visit the website.

The NEXUS Institute works across Northern Ireland to respond to the needs of adults (over 16) who have experienced sexual abuse, rape or other forms of sexual violence. It provides a counselling service for those in need. Contact by phone on 028 90326803 or visit the website.

Survivors UK provides information, support and counselling for men who have been raped or sexually abused. Contact the charity by phone on 0845 122 1201 or visit the website.