There are no rules for what you should do if you are raped. Your safety and survival are always the most important considerations.
Here are some things you can do:
- Call the police, a friend, or a rape crisis hotline. (In Westmoreland County, PA: 724-836-1122 or 1-888-832-2272). A hotline counselor can help you decide what to do next.
- Go to a hospital even if you don't feel you have been injured. You may have internal injuries, or you may have been exposed to a sexually transmitted disease. The hospital exam includes the collection of evidence to be used if you choose to press charges, now or later. To preserve the evidence, don't shower, bathe, douche, change clothes or brush your teeth before the exam. Take something with you to wear home in case they keep your clothes as evidence. Hospitals are required to call the police when a rape is reported, but you are not required to talk to them. You may have other legal options for safety, such as a Protection From Abuse (PFA) order, if you know your assailant.
If you were assaulted in your home and you think you may press charges, be careful not to disturb the scene of the assault or any other evidence.
If you believe you were drugged prior to or during the assault, a urine sample can determine the drug used. Knowing what's in your system can be important in treating possible side effects and other complications. (Be advised: your urine may reveal other substances in your system as well.)
In many hospitals, the staff will ask if you would like an advocate from the local rape crisis center to come to the hospital. (If they don't ask you, you may ask them to call an advocate.) The advocate can help you through the process by providing information and support.