What is sexual assault?
Sexual violence is any sexual act that is perpetrated against someone's will. This encompasses a range of offenses, including a completed nonconsensual sex act (i.e., rape), an attempted nonconsensual sex act, abusive sexual contact, and non-contact sexual abuse.
What to do if you have been sexually assaulted or raped.
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Make sure you are safe. Get to a safe place and contact someone who can help you. More than anything, you need support.
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Do not do anything to change your appearance. Do not shower, take a bath, or wash any of your body parts. Do not go to the bathroom, do not eat or drink, comb your hair, or smoke. You do not have to decide if you are going to press charges, but in the case that you do, it is important that the nurse can collect evidence that may be on your body.
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Get medical help. As soon as you can, go to the emergency department at the nearest hospital. At the hospital you can be examined and treated for any injuries or sexually transmitted infections. A rape kit can be done to collect evidence if you choose to get one. Even if you don't want to press charges, it is important that you receive medical care to make sure you are okay.
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Consider talking to the police. Sexual assault is a crime and you have the right to report it.
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Seek support. Dealing with the aftermath of the crisis can be overwhelming. It is important to seek support from a trusted individual, such as a friend or an advocate at RCFCC.
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Do not blame yourself. Whatever has happened, understand that it wasn't your fault. You did not cause the rape, the rapist caused the rape.
Did you know?
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1 in 5 women are raped in their lifetime in the United States -- almost 22 million women.
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1 out of every 10 rape victims are male.
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60% of sexual assaults and rapes are perpetrated by an intimate partner, relative, friend, or someone the survivor knows in some way according to the Bureau of Justice Statistics. This rate is even higher for women who have been raped or sexually assaulted in college.
