Sole Survivor- What You Need to Know After a Sexual Assault



 These shoes represent the 123 sexual assault survivors
DVRC assisted last year.

DVRC’s Sole Survivor project aims to increase awareness about the prevalence of sexual assault. Awareness alone isn’t enough. It may be an interesting fact that DVRC assisted 123 survivors of sexual assault last year alone, but it’s not enough to just know the numbers. When I look at 123 pairs of shoes, I think about 123 people whose lives were irreparably changed because of the assault. In my April 9th blog post I spoke about the victims of sexual assault who never seek services from an agency like DVRC. Those people far outnumber the ones who do.

Why don’t people seek help? For many it’s simply because they never imagined ever being a rape victim and after the traumatizing assault they didn’t know where to turn. If someone you know is even in this situation, here’s what you need to know:

What to do if you are raped…

1. Go to a safe place

2. Do not shower, bathe, urinate, douche, or brush your teeth

3. Save all clothing from the assault

4. Do not disturb the crime scene

5. Seek medical help at the hospital
6. At the hospital a specially trained Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner can collect evidence that can be used to prosecute the crime if you choose to do so. You do not need to make this decision right away, but having the forensic exam preserves the evidence while you decide.

The decisions are yours to make:

1. You do not have to report to law enforcement to receive help.

2. A DVRC advocate can accompany you to medical services or to report the crime if you choose to do so.

3. We can discuss your options and available resources.

4. We are available 24 hours a day by calling 518-584-8188.