How to Know Your Rights After a Sexual Assault

After experiencing a sexual assault, you may feel helpless, but you do have rights. Follow these steps to learn what they are.

Instructions

Difficulty: Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

• Hospital
• Computer with Internet access
• Police officer

Know Your Rights

1. You can choose whether to participate in any investigation related to your assault. You may report your attack by visiting your local hospital's emergency room immediately following your attack or you may file a report with the police.
2. You have the right to general medical treatment after a sexual assault. This may include tests conducted by a medical professional at the ER to determine whether you have been exposed to infection or any kind of sexually transmitted disease.
3. If you choose to complete a rape kit, you have the right to halt the process of evidence collection at any time, regardless of the stage. You also have the right to explanations of any and all processes related to the collection of evidence as well as your treatment.
4. You have the right to decide whether or not the evidence collected in a complete rape kit may be released to the police as part of your report. You also can choose to keep all results from any medical exam confidential.
5. You have the right to have an advocate present during your examination. Contact RAINN at (800) 656-HOPE or visit their Web site (see Resources below) for information about sexual assault counselors in your area.

Tips & Warnings

• You have the right to request a medical professional of the same gender to perform any or all of the examination and evidence collection that may be required in the process of completing a rape or sexual assault kit.