SEXUAL ASSAULT

What To Do If You Are Sexually Assaulted

• Go to a safe place.
• If you want to report the assault, notify the campus police at extension 4600 immediately. Reporting the crime can help you regain a sense of personal power and control and can also help to ensure the safety of other potential victims.
• Call a friend, a family member, or someone else you trust and ask him or her to stay with you.
• Preserve all physical evidence of the assault. Do not shower, bathe, douche, or brush your teeth. Save all of the clothing you were wearing at the time of the assault. If possible place each item of clothing in a separate paper bag. Do not use plastic bags. Do not disturb anything in the area where the assault occurred.
• Call Hillcrest Hospital Emergency Room at 440-312-4600 and request a SANE Nurse (Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner). Even if you think that you do not have any physical injuries, you should still have a medical examination and discuss with the SANE Nurse the risk of exposure to sexually transmitted diseases and the possibility of pregnancy resulting from the sexual assault.
• If you suspect that you may have been given a rape drug, ask the hospital where you received medical care to take a urine sample. The urine sample should be preserved as evidence. Rape drugs, such as Rohypnol and GHB, are more likely to be detected in urine than in blood.
• Write down as much as you can remember about the circumstances of the assault, including a description of the assailant.
• Talk with a counselor who is trained to assist rape victims about the emotional and physical impacts of the assault. You can call the Cleveland Rape Crisis 24 Hour Hotline: 216-619-6192. You can also contact campus resources: Student Health Center 216-397-4349, Student Counseling Center 216-397-4283, Campus Ministry 216-397-4717.

If you want information about legal issues, medical care, or other concerns related to the assault, a rape treatment center or a rape hotline can assist you. You can utilize resources on campus or in the local community near the campus. You can visit the rape treatment website at: www.rapetreatmentcenter.org. You can also call RAINN, a national victim assistance agency, at 800-656-HOPE. RAINN will connect you with a rape crisis center in your area.