If You Have Been Assaulted

Sexual Assault/Rape

Do not shower, bathe, douche, wash your hands, use the toilet, brush your teeth, rinse your mouth, drink liquids, change your clothing or smoke. As much as you would like to clean up, please don’t. By doing so, you may destroy important evidence.

Call the police. Reporting the assault does not mean that you have to prosecute. Giving the police vital information about your assault may help catch your assailant or prevent another assault from happening to some one else.

Get medical attention. It is important for you to receive medical treatment to attend to any injuries, gather evidence, and test for pregnancy, AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases. Staff in hospital emergency departments are trained to work with rape victims and to collect the evidence needed by the police.

Ask for help. Someone from Women Helping Women is available to meet you at the hospital. Help is available by calling Women Helping Women's 24-hour Crisis Line.

Domestic Violence

You deserve to feel safe and to live your life without fear. You have several choices. You can:

• Contact a shelter or crisis center for information and support

• Seek counseling

• Go to a shelter or stay with family or friends

• Take legal action

Information about all of these options is available by calling Women Helping Women at 513-381-5610.

Stalking

What to do if you are stalked

Seeking assistance and taking steps to improve safety often helps victims regain a sense of control.

• Notify law enforcement

• Document everything

• Include in your documentation:

              __ dates                             __ times

              __ witnesses                       __ locations

              __ emotions                        __ police agencies

              __ what happened

• Explore legal options including pressing charges

• Save all written material including:

              __ letters

              __ cards

              __ email

• Keep all legal documents

• Save all recorded phone messages and conversations

• Consider an unlisted phone number

• Get caller ID

• Take precautions such as:

              __ varying your routine

              __ alerting security

              __ informing friends, family and co-workers of your situation and instructing

                   them not to give out personal information about you

SAFETY ALERT: Computer use can be monitored and it is impossible to completely clear all website footprints. If you are in danger, please use a safer computer that your abuser can not access directly or remotely, or call the 24-hour Crisis Line 513-381-5610 or the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 800-799-SAFE. If you are at a safer computer click here for more information.

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