Sexual Assault
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Getting Help
Being a victim of sexual assault is not your fault.
Nothing in what you say, the way you look, where you are, or who you are with gives anyone else the right to hurt you. It does not matter if you are dating or have ever been intimate with the person who sexually assaulted you; it does not give that person the right to force you to participate in sexual acts if you don’t want to, even if you have had sexual activity of any sort with them in the past. It’s still wrong.
Seek immediate medical attention, preferably at an emergency room.
Medical personnel are trained to perform a "rape kit" exam, where they are able to gather evidence while examining the victim to help police and prosecutors find and charge the perpetrator. If you might ever want to report the assault, it is important that you do not shower, change clothes, or clean up in any way before going to the hospital, in order not to disturb any evidence medical staff might be able to collect for the police. Sometimes this process can be easier if you have a trusted friend, adult, or victim advocate with you.
Even if you don't want to report the assault to police right now,
it is still important to have a medical exam to make sure you are all right. Sometimes people change their minds and want to report to the police later. Also, in addition to treating injuries, medical personnel can test for pregnancy and whether or not you may have been drugged. They can also give you drugs to reduce your chances of contracting sexually transmitted infections (STIs) or getting pregnant.
Tell a trusted friend or adult.
You might want to talk to a trusted family member, a friend’s parent, an adult neighbor or friend, an older sibling or cousin, or another experienced person who you trust. See if someone can go with you to get medical treatment.
Call a helpline.
Carbon County DSVS Helpline at 425-2222
National Crime Victim Helpline at 1-800-FYI-CALL
National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE
If you want to report the assault, call the police.
If you choose to tell, you should know that some adults are mandated reporters.
This means they are legally required to report neglect or abuse to someone else, such as the police or child protective services. You can ask people if they are mandated reporters and then decide what you want to do. Some examples of mandated reporters are teachers, counselors, doctors, social workers, and in some cases, even coaches or activity leaders.
from National Center for Victims of Crime
Helping someone else
There are many ways that you can help a friend or family member who has been raped or sexually assaulted:
Listen. Be there. Don’t be judgmental.
Be patient. Remember, it will take your friend some time to deal with the crime.
Help to empower your friend or family member. Sexual assault is a crime that takes away an individual’s power, it is important not to compound this experience by putting pressure on your friend or family member to do things that he or she is not ready to do yet.
Encourage your friend to report the rape to law enforcement (call 911 in most areas). If your friend has questions about the criminal justice process, talking with someone on the National Sexual Assault Hotline, 1-800-656-HOPE, or the local Carbon County helpline, 425-2222, can help.
Let your friend know that professional help is available through the National Sexual Assault Hotline, 1-800-656-HOPE, the local Carbon County helpline, 425-2222, and the National Sexual Assault Online Hotline.
If your friend is willing to seek medical attention or report the assault, offer to accompany him or her wherever s/he needs to go (hospital, police station, campus security, etc.)
Encourage him or her to contact one of the hotlines, but realize that only your friend can make the decision to get help.
It is also important to note that having a friend or family member who is assaulted can be a very upsetting experience. For this reason it is also important that you take care of yourself. Even if your friend and family member isn’t ready to talk to a hotline specialist, you can get support for yourself. You can also get ideas about ways to help your friend or family member through the recovery process.
from RAINN(Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network)
ALSO see our page on How to Help a Friend
