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Take steps right away if you've been sexually assaulted:

• Get away from the attacker to a safe place as fast as you can.

• Call a friend or family member you trust. You also can call a crisis center or a hotline to talk with a counselor. One national hotline is the National Domestic Violence Hotline 800-799-SAFE or TDD 800-787-3224. Feelings of shame, guilt, fear and shock are normal. It is important to get counseling from a trusted professional.

• Do not wash, comb, or clean any part of your body, or change clothes if possible, so the hospital staff can collect evidence. Do not touch or change anything at the scene of the assault.

• Then, go to your nearest hospital emergency room as soon as possible. You need to be examined, treated for any injuries, and screened for possible sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) or pregnancy. The health care provider will collect evidence using a rape kit for fibers, hairs, saliva, semen, or clothing that the attacker may have left behind.

• You or the hospital staff can call the police from the emergency room to file a report.

• Ask the hospital staff about possible support groups you can attend right away.

Note: You can help someone who is abused or who has been assaulted by listening, believing, and offering comfort. Go with her or him to the police, the hospital, or to counseling. Reinforce the message that she or he is not at fault, and that it is natural to feel angry and ashamed.

Last updated: March, 2003