Sexual Assault

• Unwanted touching.
• Penetration. This may include vaginal, oral, or anal penetration.
• Incest.
• Human sex trafficking.
• Sexual harassment.
• Any form of sexual activity that occurs when a person is unable to give consent.

• Be committed by a stranger or by someone you know.
• Include force, threats, or pressure to be involved in sexual activity that you do not want.

What are the causes?

The cause of a sexual assault is the person (perpetrator) of the violence. It is never the fault of the person who is assaulted.

What increases the risk?

• Substance abuse.
• Lack of concern for others.
• Aggressive behavior.
• Preference for impersonal sex.
• Hostility toward women, if a woman is assaulted.
• Hypermasculinity, if a male is the perpetrator.
• Having a history of sexual violence.

What are the signs or symptoms?

• Physical injuries in the genital area or other areas of the body.
• STIs (sexually transmitted infections).
• Unwanted pregnancy.
• Emotional or psychological problems. These may include:
  • Anxiety, depression, or post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
  • Shock and disbelief.
  • Irritability and edginess.
  • Feeling overwhelmed.
  • Feeling angry and having thoughts of revenge.
  • Guilt or shame.

• Headaches.
• Chronic pain.
• Insomnia.
• Irritable bowel syndrome.
• Substance use disorder.

How is this diagnosed?

If you are sexually assaulted, get medical care as soon as possible. Your health care provider may perform a physical exam or test for infections. Testing for pregnancy may be done, if it applies.

It is important to know your options for the sexual assault exam. You can accept or decline any part of the exam. Your health care provider can answer any questions that you have before, during, or after the exam.

• Ask you questions about what happened during the sexual assault.
• Check your body for injuries or areas of pain.
• Collect samples to test for STIs.
• Collect samples from your body for evidence, if you choose to have this done. These samples may include:
  • Swabs.
  • Clothing.
  • Blood.
  • Urine.
  • Hair.
  • Material or debris that is found on or in your body.
• Take photographs for documentation, if you might take legal action at a later time.
  • Photographs will not be taken unless you give your consent.
  • If photographs are taken, they will be kept safe, along with other samples that you may choose to have collected for evidence.

• This evidence may be used if you choose to take legal action (press charges) at a later time.
• You may be able to ask for the evidence to be held by local authorities until you decide about taking legal action.

How is this treated?

• Offer you emergency birth control (contraception) if you are at risk for pregnancy.
• Prescribe medicines to treat or prevent STIs. You may need to have additional evaluation and testing for STIs over a period of 3–6 months after the assault.
• Give you immunizations, such as the hepatitis B and HPV vaccines. You may need to get multiple doses of immunizations over a period of several months.

Follow these instructions at home:

Talking to others

• Consider having counseling after a sexual assault. Your health care provider or a sexual assault advocate may be able to recommend a counselor.
• Consider working with a sexual assault advocate. This person may be able to provide:
  • Information about crime victim assistance.
  • Information on filing Orders for Protection and Harassment Restraining Orders.
  • Emotional support.

General instructions

• Take over-the-counter and prescription medicines only as told by your health care provider.
• Use a condom with your sexual partner, if this applies, until all of your STI tests are negative. You may need to use a condom for 3–6 months after the sexual assault.
• Get immunizations as needed.
• Keep all follow-up visits. This is important.

Where to find more information

• National Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-800-656-4673 (HOPE) or hotline.rainn.org
• The National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233 (SAFE) or thehotline.org
• Office on Women's Health: womenshealth.gov

Contact a health care provider if:

• You have signs of infection, such as:
  • Discharge from your penis or vagina.
  • A bad smell coming from your vagina.
  • Burning when you urinate.
  • A feeling of pressure when you urinate.
  • Sores or blisters on your genital area.
  • Swelling in your neck (lymph nodes).
• You feel pain during sex.
• You feel pain in your abdomen.
• You have symptoms of anxiety, depression, or PTSD. Symptoms may include:
  • Trouble sleeping.
  • Irritability.
  • Having unwanted distressing memories while awake.
  • Physical reactions triggered by reminders of the trauma, such as increased heart rate, shortness of breath, sweating, and shaking.
  • Having flashbacks, or feeling like you are going through the event again.
  • Decreased interest or participation in daily activities.
  • Loss of connection or avoiding other people.

Get help right away if:

• You are sexually assaulted.
• You have thoughts of harming yourself or others.

• Call your local emergency services (911 in the U.S.).
• Call a suicide crisis helpline, such as the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or 988 in the U.S. This is open 24 hours a day in the U.S.
• Text the Crisis Text Line at 741741 (in the U.S.).

Summary

• Sexual assault is any unwanted sexual activity that occurs without clear permission (consent) from both people.
• Sexual assault is never the fault of the person who is assaulted. No one has the right to have sexual contact with another person without the person's consent.
• It is important to get medical care as soon as possible after a sexual assault.
• It is important to know your options for the sexual assault exam. You can accept or decline any part of the exam.
• A sexual assault advocate can provide you with information about crime victim assistance and offer emotional support.