ADDRESSING IMMEDIATE CONCERNS

The time immediately following a rape is emotionally charged, confusing, and extremely anxious for the victim and those who are close to her.  Not only has she been terrorized and totally violated, but she now is faced with many additional worries.  For example, victims typically consider such questions as:

The emotional consequences of rape continue well beyond the attack.  Unfortunately, medical and legal professionals may unintentionally contribute to her trauma as they conduct their routines.  For example, if she decides to immediately report the rape to the police, she will be asked to undergo an invasive medical exam before she changes clothes, bathes, eats, smokes, and if possible, before she urinates or defecates.  Moreover, during police interviews she may have to recount the rape several times in detail to strangers (including men).  Although it is true that rules of evidence require detailed questioning by police and prosecutors, these procedures may appear to her as an invasion of privacy.  At the very moment she most needs sympathetic understanding, impersonal routines can add to her emotional burden.

Even if she does not call the police, she still should be examined by a physician as soon as possible.  First, she may require immediate medical attention.  In addition, if she changes her mind and decides to report the rape, medical evidence will strengthen her case against the attacker.  Finally, because sexually transmitted infections have an incubation period, she will need to return to the physician approximately three weeks after the rape for follow-up tests.  Assisting her in receiving medical attention conveys the message that you believe her account and that you view her assault seriously.  You are therefore communicating a powerful message of support by letting her know that this is not something she must face alone.

The time immediately following the rape requires from you compassion and understanding because the psychological forces contributing to her recovery are now in motion.  How and what you communicate to her will affect how she feels about herself, her relationships, and her future. By what you say and do you have the power to help her to recover.