• Go to a safe place.
• Seek medical treatment.
• Find emotional support.

Go to a safe place. If you are in danger or want immediate medical attention, call 911; or on campus call ext. 2222. If you are not sure what to do and need to talk to someone call the rape crisis helpline at (914) 345-9111, or toll free at 1-800-726-4041.

Seek medical treatment, even if you think that you do not have any external injuries. We strongly recommend that anyone who has been assaulted go to the hospital emergency room for treatment to prevent sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancy. If you are on campus you can call Westlands Desk (ext. 2209) and request a transport to Lawrence Hospital. When you get to Lawrence you should request that they call a specially trained SANE (Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner) nurse who is sensitive to the needs of people who have experienced a sexual assault. You can also request that the hospital call an advocate to provide support and help you through the exam. You have the right to refuse any part of a medical exam at any time.

Although Security is required to contact the police when a sexual assault is reported, students can contact Security (ext. 2222) and ask to be transported to the Emergency Room without disclosing that an assault has occurred. Security will ask students if they would like the Student Affairs on-call person to be contacted. If you do speak with someone from Student Affairs, the College is required by law to report the assault to police.

Find emotional support. Call someone you trust or one of the hotlines listed below. Staff from Health Services at (914) 395-2350 can provide support. If you prefer to speak with someone anonymously, you can call the Victim Assistance Services Rape Crisis Helpline at (914) 345-9111, The New York Gay & Lesbian Anti-Violence Project Hotline at (212) 714-1141. The Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN) hotline at (800) 656-HOPE (4673) will connect you with the closest rape crisis center anywhere in the country.

Helpful Suggestions:

If you suspect you were given any type of drug it is best to be
tested within 24 hours of ingestion.

 

If you want emergency contraception the medication should be started
within 72 hours. If you are going to take an HIV prophylaxis the
medication should be started within 36 hours.

 

If you want evidence collected you should go to the emergency room as soon as possible.

If you are considering reporting the assault:

Preserve all physical evidence of the assault. If you want evidence collected it is best if you do not bathe, shower, brush your teeth or go to the bathroom. Do not eat or drink anything. Do not change your clothes. Bring comfortable clothing with you to the hospital to change into after the exam. If you have already changed, put your clothes in a clean paper bag (not plastic) and bring them with you to the emergency room.

Even if you are not sure that you want to file a police report or campus complaint, you can still have evidence collected. The hospital must hold evidence for 30 days. Some people find that reporting the crime has helped them to regain a sense of personal power and control; others decide against reporting for many different reasons. You can talk with the Health Services staff about your options and discuss whether or not to file a complaint with the police and/or on campus. If you think you want to make a police report, the sooner you make the report the more effective the investigation will be.