If you’ve experienced sexual assault, you may need medical care. You can seek treatment at an after-hours clinic, regular doctor’s office, department of health, or emergency department. The choice to seek medical treatment is yours alone.
A way for doctors and law enforcement officials to determine if you were drugged before the assault. Some drugs can also interfere with your ability to think clearly and prevent you from giving informed consent. Urine and blood tests can detect the presence of many of these drugs. In order to get accurate results, these tests need to be performed as soon as possible after the assault.
A blood, urine, or swab test that can detect the presence of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Not all STIs will show up immediately after an assault. Some take several weeks to become detectable. You may need to follow up with a healthcare provider for additional tests later. Medicine can prevent some STIs after exposure. A doctor can prescribe these `preventive medications to you. In most cases, you need to take these preventive medications within 72 hours of possible exposure
A urine or blood test that can detect a pregnancy. You should wait until after the first day of your missed period to get an accurate reading.
A “rape kit” is a term commonly used to describe an evidence collection process. The proper term for a rape kit is a sexual assault forensic exam (SAFE). The Violence Against Womxn Act requires states to provide this exam free of charge. The kit itself is a collection of forensic tools, papers, and containers. Trained staff use this kit to collect possible evidence from a crime scene, personal belongings, or clothes.
To begin, a specifically trained medical professional will conduct a full physical exam. Including a pelvic exam.
The evidence collected during this forensic exam can be used to prosecute the person or persons who assaulted you. To get the most evidence, you should have this exam within 72 hours of the assault. You don’t have to do this if you don’t want to. You can also stop, pause, or skip parts of the exam at any point.
Collecting the data for a rape kit doesn’t mean you have to inform the police. The medical facility that has your kit can turn it over to law enforcement with an anonymous identification number. They’ll give you this number so you can check for results and, if you do decide to talk to the police, help them connect the results with your case.
Law enforcement is required to store rape kits for a set amount of time. That length of time depends on state and local laws. Some store it for a few years, others for decades. Some states will process the kit even if you don’t intend to press charges. The data could be added to a national database, which could help law enforcement officials around the country.
If you don’t want to talk to the police, you don’t have to. A rape kit doesn’t change that. A rape kit is a way for you to preserve possible evidence in the event you decide you want to report. Most states require law enforcement officials to hold the kits for several years. You have time to make a decision if you don’t immediately know what you want to do.
Sexual assault is a crime. Some may report it right away. Others may wait years before filing a report. Many people who experience sexual assault choose not to report it.
The choice to report what happened to you is yours alone.You are not at fault for reporting or not reporting! If anyone tells you that not reporting will cause the perpetrator to offend again, they are manipulating you and taking advantage of you at your most vulnerable. This is not your responsibility. Make the best choice for yourself.
Keep in mind that most states do have statutes of limitations. These prevent individuals from being charged with crimes that occurred before a certain date.Each state’s statutes are different. It’s important to know yours. An advocacy group can help connect you to your local legal resources.
If the assault just happened, you can call 911. A law enforcement official should come to you or help you get to safety. Some law enforcement officials may also help you find an advocacy group that can help you navigate the process and answer questions for you. You can also call your local police department’s nonemergency line at a later time. You can even visit the station to make a report. An officer should join you and begin the process.
You can go to a hospital emergency department, rape crisis center, or other clinic and inform them of what happened. They’ll ask you if you’d like to report the crime. If you say yes, they can contact law enforcement officials.
An officer should begin by asking you what happened and they should make you feel comfortable. If you’ve written down any account of the events, these notes may be helpful here. If you feel comfortable, tell the officer or investigator what you remember, even if you aren’t sure of whether it’ll be helpful to their investigation. The officer should go on to ask you a series of questions. Answer them as best you can. Let them know when you don’t know an answer. If you can, bring a trusted friend or family member with you. A local advocacy organization can also provide a trained staff member who will help you through the process.
Recounting the events of a traumatic assault may be emotional trying. It may take several hours. You could also be called back for additional questioning. If you don’t have a friend or loved one who can join you for this process, call the National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline. These advocates can help you through every step of the process, answering questions and providing any information or support you need.
Officers should create an investigation with the information you provide. If you know the person who assaulted you, the police will likely bring them in for questioning. They’ll record the person’s recollection of events. They may also request a DNA sample to compare to any DNA from a rape kit. If you don’t know the person who assaulted you, investigators will work to put a name to the person. This is where detailed information can come in handy. Police can try to retrace your steps, looking for possible eyewitnesses. In some cases, they may try to collect other evidence, such as video footage, that can corroborate your account.
Your investigating officer should provide you with a case number. You can use this number to inquire about the status of your report.
Your investigating officer may reach out to you with updates as the case progresses. Evidence of the assault will be turned over to the local district attorney’s office. They can work with the police to decide if there’s enough evidence to press charges against the person who assaulted you. At this point, you may be asked to come and speak with the district attorney’s office.
In most states, healthcare providers and advocates are required by law to report an assault if the person is under 18 years old.
You may have several legal questions after a sexual assault. You may want to ask about the process of filing a report and going through an investigation. If the case goes to trial, you may want legal counseling, too. Some legal resources are available free of charge. Others may provide services for discounted prices.
Call: 800-656-HOPE (4673)
Call: 800-799-SAFE (7233) or 800-787-3224 (TYY)
Call: 866-331-9474
Call: 877-995-5247
Video Call: 855-812-1001
Chat Now: thehotline.org
Chat Now: online.rainn.org
Chat Now: Text loveis to 22522.
You can also email deaf advocates at nationaldeafhotline@adwas.org.
Chat Now: thehotline.org
A coalition of programs that document and advocate for victims of anti-LGBT and anti-HIV/AIDS violence/harassment, domestic violence, sexual assault, police misconduct and other forms of victimization. Site has a list of local anti-violence programs and publications.
Hotline: 212.714.1141 & http://www.avp.org/
Help end suicide prevention for LGBTQ youth.
Hotline: 866.488.7386 & http://www.thetrevorproject.org/
Call center that refers to over 15,000 resources across the country that support LGBTQ individuals
Hotline: 888.THE.GLNH (843.4564) pen pals, weekly LQB and T chatrooms for youth & http://www.glbtnationalhelpcenter.org/
Directory of LGBT-friendly mental health specialists across the United States. Specialists listed are verified members of AGLBTIC, a division of the American Counseling Association.
Cite: https://algbtic.org/lgbtqi-knowledgeable-therapists/
Home to the Transgender Sexual Violence Project. Provides services and publishes research for transgender persons experiencing violence and their loved ones.
Cite: http://www.forge-forward.org/index.php
A trans-led organization that connects trans people to the community, support, and resources they need to survive and thrive.
Hotline: 877-565-8860 & https://www.translifeline.org/hotline
This is a knowledge share document. If you know of more resources or believe information is incorrect or needs to be added or edited, please add your notes on what people should know in order to participate.