When Sexual Assault Happens

What To Do After Sexual Assault

• Find a place where you feel safe.
• Call a trusted friend or relative to come be with you.

Preserving Evidence

• Preserve evidence as best as possible (Do NOT bathe, shower, douche, eat, drink, or brush teeth. If possible, try not to urinate or eliminate any waste.)
• Any clothing, if not still being worn, and any bedding or other items that may have DNA evidence on them should be preserved and not laundered.

Forensic Medical Exam

• Call a crisis line and speak with a victim advocate. They can help you understand your options for care, forensic medical exams, support, and reporting
• To preserve forensic evidence, have a forensic medical exam performed at a local emergency department or rape crisis forensic clinic. In Arkansas, a forensic exam may be done within 96 hours from the time of the assault. If you are uncertain about reporting to the police, you can have a Jane/John Doe kit done. This gives you some time to decide about reporting to police.
• If you suspect you may have been drugged, ask that a urine sample be collected. The sample can be analyzed later by a forensic lab.
• If you choose not to have a forensic exam, then get medical attention as soon as possible. Even with no physical injuries, it is important to determine the potential risk for pregnancy and possible treatments for sexually transmitted infections

Reporting Options

• Write down all the details you can recall about the incident and the offender. This information may be useful if you decide to report the incident.
• Make a police report if you choose. In Arkansas, if a report is made within 72 hours, you are eligible for victims’ reparations to assist with any expenses you incur due to the assault. If you are a student, you may be able to report to Title IX as well.

Processing Emotions

• Seek help with processing the many feelings that come after a rape. A victim advocate may be able to provide emotional support while actively listening. A counselor or therapist may help you understand your feelings and assist with your healing process.
• Remember it wasn't your fault..
• Recognize that healing from rape takes time. Give yourself the time you need.
• Know that it's never too late to call for help. Even if the sexual assault happened years ago, Sexual Assault Hotlines and Victim Advocacy Services can still help. Many victims do not realize they need help until months or years later.
• If you are a college student, talk to a professional at your school’s sexual and relationship violence office, health services, student affairs, or counseling services and learn about available resources to assist you during this difficult time.

Where can a forensic exam be done in Northwest Arkansas?

Immediate medical care should be sought, even if physical injuries are not apparent. In Northwest Arkansas, forensic exams are available at the NWA Center for Sexual Assault. The University of Arkansas Pat Walker Health Center can provide students with general medical evaluation but cannot provide forensic exams.

A forensic rape exam not only provides assurance of physical health through clinical evaluation, but also allows for evidence to be collected and preserved. To collect evidence, a "rape kit" is used. It consists of a series of swabs for specimen gathering, placed in envelopes, and then sealed in a small box and sent to the State Crime Lab. There is not a charge for the rape kit and evidence collection.

The Sexual and Relationship Violence Center on campus can confidentially answer questions about the many options for aftercare and help.

After sexual assault…

After sexual assault, a person can experience a wide range of reactions. It is extremely important to note that there is no one single response. Some sexual assault victims/survivors respond immediately, others may have delayed reactions. Some appear to be affected by the assault for a long time, whereas others appear to recover rather quickly. The stages that occur after sexual assault are often referred to as Rape Trauma Syndrome, which is a common pattern of experiences that many rape victims/survivors go through.

In the early stages, many report feelings of shock, confusion, anxiety, and/or numbness. Sometimes feelings of denial are experienced. In other words, the person who was sexually assaulted may not fully acknowledge what has happened or may downplay the intensity of the experience. This reaction may be more common among those who are sexually assaulted by someone they know.

Although survivors of sexual assault can experience a wide variety of symptoms, they do not have to suffer in silence. Confidential help is available. The Sexual and Relationship Violence Center provides confidential advocacy services to help University students identify available campus and local community resources. A trained victim advocate will help the student understand their options and explain processes. The victim advocate will listenand provide support without judgment. Everyone’s situation is unique and every effort to tailor to the individual needs of each student is made.

To confidentially speak with a victim advocate, contact the SRVC (Sexual and Relationship Violence Center). The SRVC is open Monday-Friday during business hours. After hours, volunteer and trained faculty and staff are available to respond to crisis calls and to accompany students if they report to law enforcement or have a forensic medical exam done. To reach the SRVC, call 479-575-4000.