If you have been a victim of sexual violence:
- Go to a safe place and call the police, a trusted friend, or a sexual assault crisis line.
If you choose to report the incident:
- Call the police immediately.
- Preserve evidence—preserve the location where assault occurred.
- Preserve evidence that may be on the body—if possible do not wipe, douche, shower, bathe, comb/brush hair, or change clothes prior to seeking medical attention. Do not rinse your mouth, smoke, brush teeth, or have anything to eat or drink prior to medical attention.
- Report to the emergency room at your local hospital for medical treatment and evidence collection.
- A medical exam is recommended to evaluate for injuries, to determine if medical conditions could have resulted from the assault, and to collect forensic evidence. Your exam will be done by a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE); a nurse who has been trained to care for victims of sexual violence. The nurse will do an assessment and obtain a history of the assault. Additionally, the nurse will examine you for injuries. If injuries are present, photographs may be taken - if serious injuries are present, a physician may examine you as well.
- Address other medical concerns with emergency room staff such as sexually transmitted diseases and/or pregnancy prevention.
If you choose not to report the incident:
- Seek medical attention. Evidence can be collected and can be stored if you should decide to report the incident at a later date.
- Address other medical concerns with emergency room staff such as sexually transmitted diseases and/or pregnancy prevention.
Sexual violence is one of the ways in which abusers try to exert and/or maintain power and control over their intimate partners. If you have experienced sexual violence from a current or former intimate partner and are in need of safety planning please see the Domestic Violence portion under “What is Abuse?” for more specific information as well as safety planning surrounding these abusive relationships.
