Immediately After an Assault
Immediately after an act of sexual violence, the last thing you may feel capable of is making important decisions. Please know that there are no absolute right or wrong things for you to do, and nobody should ever judge you for the decisions you make in the moment. Here are some pieces of advice that may help you think clearly in the midst of a traumatic event. While we know that some of you may be reading this page immediately after a rape or sexual assault, we recommend that everybody read this page to become familiar with the big ideas here. You or a loved one may need them one day, and the ability to think quickly and act decisively may help you in staying safe, treating your injuries, and successfully seeking justice through the legal system. We hope you will see this page as a guide for you rather than as somebody dictating how you must proceed. You alone should have control over what you do and what happens next.
Get to Safety
This should be your very first priority after a sexual assault. Are you safe? Are you still with your attacker? Try to take steps immediately to remove yourself physically from an unsafe place or person. If you are capable of driving and have a car, go someplace safe. This might be home, your dorm, a friend’s house, a hospital, or even just a public place. If you can’t drive, consider calling a cab or uber. We think it’s always worth having a transportation app or cab company phone number in your phone, so that you are able to leave a dangerous situation quickly and safely. Please do not try to drive yourself if you are in any way intoxicated, even if you need to get away from a situation quickly. The dangers of intoxicated driving will only worsen your situation. If you are too young to take a cab, call a trusted adult. This might be your parent, an older sibling, or a family friend.
Call a Loved One or Safe Person
Making decisions in the midst of a traumatic event can be hard, so having a trusted family member or friend around to talk to can be immensely helpful. It’s important that you have control and final say in all decisions, so find someone who will listen and support you. Try to avoid choosing a person who will pressure you to approach the situation in a way that you don’t want to.
If you’re under 18 years old, finding an adult you trust to help guide and support you is important. It is almost impossible to navigate the medical or legal systems without an adult. Be aware that some adults, like guidance counselors, teachers, professors, and RA’s, are mandated reporters, which means that they are obligated by law to tell someone if an individual under the age of 18 is in danger. This law, which we feel you should be aware of before reaching out to an adult, is designed to keep young people safe.
Don’t Shower
Your first instinct might be to run to the shower and clean yourself off. However, showering will wash away most physical evidence and DNA from your attacker. It’s crucial that you wait to shower until after you have decided whether or not you are going to the hospital or the police.
Don’t Change Your Clothing
The clothing that you were wearing during the assault might be collected as forensic evidence, so it’s important that you continue to wear whatever you had on during the assault and that it has not been washed. Until you have made a decision about whether or not to report your assault, avoid changing. If you choose not to report, you can of course change.
If You are Going to the Hospital, Go as Soon as You Can
In cases of rape or sexual assault, we recommend going first to the hospital rather than to the police. You don’t have to go, but if you do, the hospital will be able both to treat your injuries and to collect forensic evidence, and going there first does not keep you from going to the police afterwards. But being treated for your own injuries is, we believe, the first priority. Although thoroughly thinking through all your options is important, going to the hospital as soon as you can is critical. Being treated for your injuries as soon as possible will help your body to heal and recover. Collecting evidence is time sensitive, so the sooner you get there, the easier it will be for the hospital to do their job correctly.
Bring Somebody With You to the Hospital
You will be overwhelmed at the hospital. Bring somebody to advocate for you, listen, take notes if necessary, and just be there to support you.