What To Do If You've Been Sexually Assaulted

Written by HealthyPlace.com Staff Writer

Learn what you can do to prevent sexual assault plus important information to consider if you've been sexually assaulted.

10 Things Anyone Can Do To Help Prevent Sexual Assault

1. Be aware of language. Words are very powerful, especially when spoken by people with power over others. When we see women as inferior, it becomes easier to treat them with less respect, disregard their rights, and ignore their well-being.
2. Communicate. Sexual violence often goes hand in hand with poor communication. Our discomfort with talking honestly and openly about sex dramatically raises the risk of rape. By learning effective sexual communication -- stating your desires clearly, listening to your partner, and asking when the situation is unclear - you can make sex safer for yourself and others.

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   Speak up. You will probably never see a rape in progress, but you will see and hear attitudes and behaviors that degrade women and promote rape. When your best friend tells a joke about rape, say you don't think it's funny. When you read an article that blames a rape survivor for being assaulted, write a letter to the editor. When laws are proposed that limit women's rights, let politicians know that you won't support them. Do anything but remain silent.
4. Support survivors of rape. Rape will not be taken seriously until everyone knows how common it is. By learning to sensitively support survivors in their lives, we can help both women and other men feel safer to speak out about being raped and let the world know how serious a problem rape is.
5. Contribute Your Time and/or Money. Donate your time or money to an organization working to prevent violence against women in our community.
6. Organize. Join an organization dedicated to stopping violence against women. Men's Anti-Rape groups are powerful in the fight to end sexual violence.
7. Talk with women... about how the risk of being raped affects their daily lives; about how they want to be supported if it has happened to them; about what they think men can do to prevent sexual violence. If you're willing to listen, you can learn a lot from women about the impact of rape and how to stop it.
8. Talk with men... about how it feels to be seen as a potential rapist; about the fact that 10-20% of all males will be sexually abused in their lifetimes; about whether they know someone who's been raped. Learn about how sexual violence touches the lives of men and what we can do to stop it.
9. Work to end ALL oppressions. Rape feeds off many other forms of prejudice -- including racism, homophobia, and religious discrimination. By speaking out against any beliefs and behaviors, including rape, that promote one group of people as superior to another and deny other groups their full humanity, you support everyone's equality.
10. Always make sure it's consensual. If you're going to have sex, make sure that it's consensual. Consensual sex is when both partners are freely and willingly agreeing to whatever sexual activity is occurring. Consent is an active process, you cannot assume you have consent - you need to ask. Consent cannot be given legally when an individual is intoxicated.

What to do if...you are sexually assaulted

The police can take you to the hospital if you need a ride OR call the Rape Crisis Center in your area for an advocate to help you through the process and join you at the hospital.

1. Find a Safe Place. Get to a safe place - anywhere away from the attacker. Call someone you trust, such as a friend, relative, or police officer to come meet you.
2. Get Medical Attention Immediately. You may have injuries that aren't yet evident. Even if you have no physical injuries, immediate medical care is important to reduce risks of pregnancy or sexually transmitted disease. You do not have to press charges if you seek medical attention.
3. Preserve Evidence. You don't have to decide if you want to prosecute right away, but preserving the evidence helps if you decide to prosecute at a later date.
   
   • Don't bathe or brush your teeth
   • If you have already changed your clothes, place them in a paper bag (NOT plastic) to preserve them.
   • To preserve evidence, ask the hospital to conduct a rape kit exam. If you suspect that you may have been drugged, ask for a urine sample to be collected.
4. Get Professional Help. Getting help does not mean you have to prosecute. Professionals trained in crisis intervention are available free to UB students (see info below). As you are considering your options, it is vital to remember:
   
   • It is not your fault
   • Every rape or sexual assault is different
   • It doesn't matter what you did or did not do during the assault
   • Healing from a sexual assault takes time
   • It is never too late to get help, even if the assault happened years ago.
5. Report the Assault. If or when you are ready, you can report the assault to the police.