If someone you know has been sexually or physically assaulted:
- If you see or hear violence happening, call the police or 911 for help. Attempting to stop the violence by yourself is very dangerous.
- If there are injuries or a sexual assault, encourage the victim to seek medical care.
- Allow her/him plenty of time and opportunity to talk.
- Listen without judging! The victim may think that what happened was her/his fault and be afraid you will blame her/him, too.
- Remind the victim that s/he did not deserve this and what happened was not her/his fault. The person who assaulted the victim is the one to blame. Explain that violence, even in a family or dating relationship, is a crime.
- Let the victim know that s/he is not alone—that sexual and physical assaults occur in every neighborhood, in every racial, ethnic, and religious group, to the wealthy and the poor, to both well educated and poorly educated people, to lots of people.
- Tell the victim about rape crisis and domestic violence centers like Blackburn Center that can help her/him. Help find the phone number in the blue pages.
- Offer to help the victim make a plan about who to tell and what s/he can do to feel safer.
- If the victim doesn't want to seek help at this time, remain her/his friend. S/he needs to find solutions that suit her/him, not you. By remaining supportive and not judging, you may eventually help her/him to find the courage to act.
You will probably feel very stressed and angry about what is happening to your friend. Find someone you trust to confide in and talk out your feelings, or call your local rape crisis or domestic violence confidential 24-hour hotline (In Westmoreland County PA: 724-836-1122 or 1-888-832-2272).