How to Preserve Evidence After a Sexual Assault

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By eHow Contributing Writer

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After a sexual assault, it's imperative that victims preserve evidence to aid prosecution of the offender. Evidence can be anything from traces of bodily fluid to fingerprints on objects to hair or clothing fibers. Here's how to avoid losing evidence after a sexual assault.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Step 1

Contact a trustworthy friend to help you get to a medical facility. Do not eat or drink anything, as this can often destroy salivary evidence in your mouth.
Step 2

Tell the doctor that a sexual assault has occurred so that he or she can give you a full forensic medical exam.
Step 3

If you have suspicions that a so-called date rape drug was used, ask for a urine analysis. Try to put off urinating if possible until you get see the doctor, as traces of the drug can leave the body.
Step 4

Contact your local rape crisis center or the national center, open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, known as RAINN (see Resources below) for advice on preserving evidence.
Step 5

Find other physical evidence of your attacker that can aid the police in apprehending and later prosecuting the right person.

Tips & Warnings

If you have the presence of mind to think of it, change your clothes and put the ones you were wearing in plastic bags for the police forensic team to analyze.
If you had any oral contact with your attacker, don't brush your teeth after a sexual assault. This will preserve DNA evidence. Most emergency rooms will have a place where you can later shower and brush your teeth.
"Sexual assault" is defined differently in different states. In some, it is used interchangeably with rape. Other states use the term to indicate a rape was attempted but not finished. Regardless of the terminology, preserve the evidence associated with your assault.
Even when you preserve evidence after a sex crime, it doesn't mean you're guaranteed prosecution, or even that your attacker will be apprehended. You will, however, have an exponentially better chance of justice with hard evidence in your possession.

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