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You have been assaulted

This information was adapted from RAINN (Pape, Abuse, & Incest National Network)

After sexual assault, it’s hard to know how to react. You may be physically hurt, emotionally drained, or unsure what to do next. You may be considering working with the criminal justice system, but are unsure of where to start. Learning more about what steps you can take following sexual violence can help ground you in a difficult time. Steps You Can Take After Sexual AssaultIt’s hard to know what to do, how to feel, or what your options are after a sexual assault. Please know that you’re not alone. Below are some things to keep in mind. If you are in immediate danger or seriously injured, call 911.

  • Your safety is important. Are you in a safe place? If you’re not feeling safe, consider reaching out to someone you trust for support. You don’t have to go through this alone. See Rollins-specific information under Immediate Action on the reporting webpage of the Title IX website.
  • What happened was not your fault. Something happened to you that you didn’t want to happen—and that’s not OK.
  • Call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800.656.HOPE (4673). You’ll be connected to a trained staff member from a local sexual assault service provider in your area. They will direct you to the appropriate local health facility that can care for survivors of sexual assault. Some service providers may be able to send a trained advocate to accompany you. The closest health facility to Winter Park is Victim Service Center of Central Florida.

When you call the National Sexual Assault Hotline, a staff member will walk you through the process of getting help at your own pace. You can also visit online.rainn.org to chat anonymously. Support specialists can also provide information on topics you might have questions about, including:

Immediate Help

Students who have experienced sexual misconduct should consider the following immediate action steps:

  • Get to a safe place.

    Call someone you trust. Consider calling a victim advocate. Victim advocates are available off campus through the Victim Service Center (VSC) of Central Florida. Victim advocates are available at all times to assist you by calling their toll-free hotline 24/7/365 by calling 407.500.HEAL (4325). You may also contact the After-Hours Crisis Phone for the Rollins Wellness Center 24/7/365 at 833.848.1761. Your conversations with either of these two resources are confidential.

    Campus Safety is available 24/7/365 by calling 407.646.2999. They can assist with transports on campus and call for medical transport in emergency situations. If there is continued threat or risk of danger, call Campus Safety or call 911.

  • Seek medical attention.

    Even if you have no visible injuries, there are several options for medical attention. The closest emergency room to campus is Winter Park Memorial Hospital on Glenwood Drive (407.646.7320). Please note that area hospitals are required by Florida law and/or policy to contact local law enforcement, however, whether or not you file a police report will still be your choice. In many cases, the hospital will have the patient transported to Victim Service Center of Central Florida for a Sexual Assault Medical Exam (SAME). Confidentiality laws protect the conversations you have with medical professionals in the course of care or treatment.

    Medical attention is also available on campus during business hours at the Wellness Center. Students may seek medical attention, Plan B, STD/STI testing or seek answers to their health related questions and concerns on campus during business hours at the Wellness Center. Confidentiality laws protect the conversations you have with medical and mental health professionals in the course of care or treatment.

  • Preserve evidence.

    It is common to want to shower or bathe following a sexual assault. Forensic evidence can be collected in the 120 hours (5 days) after a sexual assault. Do not shower, bathe, douche, urinate, brush your teeth, drink or change your clothing, as you may be destroying valuable evidence in the case that you decide to file a police report. If you do need to change your clothes, place all clothing, shoes, bedding and any other items in a paper, not plastic, bag. You can have forensic evidence collected from your body by a specially trained Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) at the Victim Service Center (VSC) of Central Florida without involving law enforcement or filing a police report.