STEP ONE: GUARANTEE YOUR SAFETY
If you are in danger or need medical care, call 9-1-1. Get to a place where you feel safe. Reach out to someone you trust for support if you can. You can also call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or visit online.rainn.org for live, anonymous chat. What happened is not your fault.
STEP TWO: KEEP EVIDENCE for forensic examination
Do your best to not brush, comb, or clean any part of your body, including changing clothes. Do not touch or change anything at the scene of the assault. If you have done these things, do not worry; you can still get a forensic examination. Evidence is ideally collected and submitted within 72 hours.
STEP THREE: GO TO THE NEAREST HOSPITAL EMERGENCY ROOM
You will likely need to be examined and treated for injuries. You can be given medicine to prevent HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and emergency contraception to prevent pregnancy. The National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800-656-HOPE (4673) can help you find a hospital able to collect evidence of sexual assault. Ask for a sexual assault forensic examiner (SAFE) or sexual assault nurse examiner (SANE).
A doctor or nurse can use a “rape kit” to collect DNA evidence. This might include fibers, hairs, saliva, semen, or clothing left behind by the attacker. If you think you were drugged, talk to the hospital staff about being tested for date rape drugs, such as Rohypnol and Gamma Hydroxybutyrate (GHB).
You may want to bring a change of clothes with you. A sexual assault forensic exam should not cost you money or require you to make a report to law enforcement. Victim compensation funds may be able to help you cover some additional expenses.
Truman Health Center nurses are authorized to administer rape kits!
STEP FOUR: REACH OUT FOR HELP
Call a friend or family member you trust, or call a crisis center or hotline. Crisis centers and hotlines have trained volunteers and counselors who can help you find support and resources near you. One hotline is the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800-656-HOPE (4673). If you are in the military, you may also call the DoD Safe Helpline at 877-995-5246.
STEP FOUR: REPORT THE ASSAULT TO law enforcement
If you want to talk to someone first about reporting the assault, you can call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800-656-HOPE (4673). A counselor can help you understand how to report the crime. Even though these calls are free, they may appear on your phone bill. If you think that the person who sexually assaulted you may check your phone bill, try to call from a friend’s phone or a public phone.
IMPORTANT: you do not have to prosecute an offender to make a report!
Making a report can help law enforcement identify repeat offenders and provides a backlog of evidence in case you or someone else decides to prosecute in the future.
STEP FIVE: WRITE DOWN THE DETAILS
This may be difficult to do, but it will help you if you wish to prosecute the offender for the assault. Remember that you are in control of what happens, and that it is always your choice to prosecute. In addition, remember that there are resources available, both on- and off-campus, to help you.
RAINN is a great resource for more information.