Sexual Assault

Get Help - Give Help

You're Not Alone:

Sexual assault is a widespread and under-reported crime. In 1999, law enforcement received 89,107 reports of rapes. Rapes increased by 20 percent and sexual assaults by more than 30 percent in 1999.

In the most recent National Violence Against Women Survey, more than 300,000 women and 90,000 men reported being victims of attempted or completed rapes in the previous year.

Acquaintance rapes account for 93 percent of all rapes of teens.

A woman is more likely to be sexually assaulted by someone she knows than by a stranger.

Sexual assault can take place in both opposite-sex and same-sex relationships.

Get Help:

Being a victim of sexual assault is not your fault. Nothing in what you say, the way you look, where you are, or who you are with gives anyone else the right to hurt you. It does not matter if you are dating, or have ever been intimate with the person that sexually assaulted you, it does not give that person the right to force you to take part in sexual acts if you don't want to, even if you have had sexual activity of any sort with them in the past. It's still wrong.

Seek immediate medical attention, preferably at an emergency room. Medical personnel are trained to perform a "rape kit" exam where they are able to gather evidence while examining the victim to help police and prosecutors find and charge the perpetrator. If you do want to report the assault it is important that you do not shower, change clothes, or clean up in any way before going to the hospital, in order not to disturb any evidence medical staff might be able to collect for the police. Sometimes this process can be easier if you have a trusted friend, adult, or victim advocate with you.

Even if you don't want to report the assault to police right now, it is still important to have a medical exam to make sure you are ok. Sometimes people change their minds and want to report to the police later. Also, in addition to treating injuries, medical personnel can test for pregnancy and whether or not you may have been drugged. They can also give you drugs to reduce your chances of getting sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) or pregnant.

Tell a trusted friend or adult, see if they can go with you to get medical treatment.

Call a local victim service provider, like a rape crisis center.

If you want to report the assault, call the police. If you choose to tell, you should know that some adults are mandated reporters. This means they are legally required to report neglect or abuse to someone else, like the police or child protective services. You can ask people if they are mandated reporters and then decide what you want to do. Some examples of mandated reporters are teachers, counselors, doctors, social workers, and in some cases, even coaches or activity leaders. If you want to help deciding who to talk to, call Tuscola County Victim Services, or an anonymous crisis line in your area.

You might also want to talk to a trusted family member, a friend's parent, an adult neighbor or friend, an older sibling or cousin, or other experienced person who you trust.

Help Yourself:

Try to avoid being alone, especially with your attacker, and be alert to your surroundings.

Think about getting help to make a safety plan for yourself to avoid or escape a dangerous situation, especially if you know your attacker.

Make sure you have a safe place to stay. Think about talking to a rape crisis center or other victim assistance counselor about what happened to you, so they can help you find a safe place to stay, give you counseling, and help you understand your options like what medical staff will do during a "rape kit" exam or what might happen while going through the criminal justice system.

Help Someone Else:

If you know someone who has been the victim of sexual assault, you can help them.

If your friend tells you that she/he has been assaulted, remember that it is not her/his fault. Help them get to a safe place. Listen patiently and without judging her/him. Offer her/him your support and encouragement in getting help.

Talk to the person and try to get them to talk to an adult and get medical attention.

Offer to go with them.

If your friend is badly injured, call 911.

Encourage her/him to undergo a rape kit exam whether or not she/he intends to report the crime to police. She/he can always make the decision about whether or not to report the crime later.

Report the assault to an adult you trust

This information may be freely distributed, provided that it is distributed free of charge, in its entirety and includes this notice.

This information was developed under grant number 2002-X1678-DC-WT from the Office on Violence Against Women of the U.S. Department of Justice. The opinions and views expressed in this document are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the Office of Violence Against Women, U.S. Department of Justice.