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Frequently asked
questions:
Where do I go if I am sexually assaulted?
If you have been sexually assaulted, tell
someone! Go to the police, a friend, a family
member, or your local emergency room. Report the
assault to police so they can work with you to try
to prosecute your attacker.
What should I do after the assault, before
reporting to the police or emergency room?
Try not to eat, drink, smoke, chew gum, etc. Dont
shower. If you change clothes, place the clothes you
were wearing into a large paper bag and take with
you when reporting. Evidence of the assault may be
on your body, in your mouth, in your hair, or on
your clothes.
What happens after I report the assault?
If you report to law enforcement, they will
encourage you to go to the ER for a SANE exam. If
reporting to the ER, the staff will also encourage
this exam. A nurse specially trained in collecting
forensic evidence (SANE) will conduct the exam. SANE
stands for Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner. The exam
includes: Telling the nurse exactly what happened
during the assault so the nurse knows where to look
for evidence, the nurse checking your body for
bruises or other injuries, taking pictures of any
bruises or injuries, a complete forensic exam where
the nurse gathers as much evidence as possible. This
exam includes vaginal and/or anal swabs, scrapping
under the fingernails for possible skin cells,
swabbing other areas of the possible for possible
DNA samples of your attacker, combing your hair
and/or pubic hair for hair samples from your
attacker, and collecting your clothing for any other
possible evidence.
Will I be alone during this exam? You
have the option of having a Sexual Assault Victim
Advocate with you during all steps on the exam,
along with before and after the exam. When you go to
the ER, staff will explain to you that they have a
good working relationship with Victim Advocates and
will offer to call one in for you. The Advocate will
arrive at the hospital and talk with you before the
exam. The Advocate is there to support YOU in any
way they can. They will provide you with information
and resources to help guide you through the trauma
and recovery processes of an assault. Advocates can
also go with you to support you during court dates,
if the case is prosecuted.
What happens after the SANE exam? After
the report and exam are completed, law enforcement
will conduct their investigation and a determination
to charge or not charge the assailant will be made.
Law enforcement will discuss the determination with
you. You also have an opportunity for the Sexual
Assault Victim Services Coordinator to follow up
with you and offer you counseling, support, and
other resources to aid in recovery. The SAVSC will
contact you a few days after the exam to check in
with you and offer you these options.
More
Resources:
Wisconsin Coalition Against Sexual Assault
Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network
National Sexual Violence Resource Center
National Center for Missing & Exploited Children
Office for Victims of Crime
HELP STOP SEXUAL
ASSAULT
For questions or comments contact:
Sexual Assault Victim Services
Coordinator
715-421-1511
sasc.serv@familyctr.org
If you need a more confidential
e-mail, use this address: conf...@fciwebmail.ipower.com
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