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Recovery
If You Have Been Sexually Assaulted
If you've been sexually assaulted, remember, reporting a sexual assault may lessen the chances of it happening to others. And regardless of whether or not you press criminal charges, academic and judicial intervention is available to you through the Sexual Assault Services Coordinator.
If You've Just Been Sexually Assaulted
- Get to a safe place.
- Contact someone who can help you: a friend, the police, the sexual assault services coordinator-any or all of the above.
- Do not shower, drink or eat, douche, or change your clothes. These activities destroy important physical evidence in the event that you decide to prosecute the assailant.
- Get medical attention at a hospital emergency room right away. Even if you don't want to report this to the police, you may have injuries you are not aware of. You may want to do what you can to prevent pregnancy or sexually transmitted diseases. Physical evidence can be collected up to 72 hours after the assault (24 hours after for oral or anal penetration). However, some evidence may still be collected after 72 hours.
- The police can take you to the hospital or meet you there.
- As soon as you have a quiet moment, write down everything that you remember happening, with as much detail as possible. This will help with your own healing process and in any legal action you might decide to take.
- Remember: the assault was not your fault.
If the Assault Occurred Some Time Ago...
- You may just now be realizing that you still have options available to you.
- Medical attention may still be needed for treatment of physical symptoms.
- Seek counseling. Unresolved experiences of sexual assault can have long term psychological and social effects.
- Consult with the Sexual Assault Services coordinator to explore the following options: Reporting the incident to the police, pursuing campus judicial intervention, academic or administrative intervention.
- Remember that sexual assault is never the victim's fault.
- Resources are there for you.
- Believe in yourself. Get support. It takes time to heal.
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