If You've Been a Victim Of Sexual Assault

If you have been a victim of sexual assault one of the best and immediate resources you can contact is the Sexual Assault Center in the county you are currently in.

If you have experienced a sexual assault, whether or not it involved vaginal or rectal penetration, we encourage you to seek medical care immediately. It is in your best interest to avoid changing clothes, showering or bathing prior to being seen. However evidence can be collected up to 120 hours after an assault even if you have showered or bathed, but it may be of limited use.

If you seek medical care there are 4 options:

  1. Receive compassionate, supportive care (without an examination), emergency contraception and medications to prevent the development of a sexually transmitted infection.   
  2. Receive compassionate, supportive care including an exam, emergency contraception and medications to prevent development of a sexually transmitted infection
  3. Option number 2 with collection of evidence during the examination to provide to law enforcement
  4. Option number 2 with evidence collection in case you decide at a point in the near future that you want to prosecute the assailant (person who did this to you)

If you choose to pretend it never happened, or worse yet---blame yourself because you might have been under the influence of alcohol or drugs you will miss the opportunity to:

  • have evidence collected in a time sensitive manner
  • receive compassionate and supportive care
  • receive health counseling and medications to prevent an unplanned pregnancy or sexually transmitted infection
  • hear about what your options are at this time and in the future.

It is important that you remember no matter what the reason, how you were dressed. If you said no, stop, or were incapable of making an appropriate decision---you were a victim. You deserve to receive care and support. 

If you have been a victim of rape or sexual assault, there are certain things to avoid prior to seeking care in case collection of evidence is possible. Those activities would include:

  • Brushing your teeth
  • Changing clothes
  • Taking a shower or bath
  • Eating food or drinking fluids
  • Chewing gum or smoking

WHEN IS IT SEXUAL ASSAULT OR RAPE?

A sexual assault occurs any time someone touches another person when the other person says no or when intimate touching of the breasts, buttocks, penis, vaginal or rectal area occurs in a manner in which it was not requested or desired.

A rape occurs when there is unwanted vaginal, rectal or oral (mouth) penetration by another person using a body part or a foreign object.