Date Rape Victim – What you need to do and why.
If You Are A Date Rape Victim . . .
There are essential actions that need to be taken as soon as possible after any rape, including date rape.
The first thing is to get yourself away from your attacker and to a safe place. Once you are safe get to a hospital.
To preserve evidence that will help to convict the rapist, it is important not to wash or change your clothes. If at all possible avoid touching anything at the place of the attack.
By being aware of the danger of rape and how to prevent it, you reduce the possibility of being a victim.
Well trained medical staff at the hospital will treat injuries due to the rape and any additional assault.
They will administer a standard rape kit examination, this will help detect and preserve evidence of the assault.
The rape kit is sealed and submitted to the police.
The emergency medical team will need to take details of the rape and the actions you have taken since being assaulted, they will also consider the risk of infection and the chance of pregnancy.
They will be supportive and understand how difficult it is to talk about your experience. Ideally you will be interviewed with the police also in attendance, this will save you the ordeal of having to be interviewed twice.
The hospital will likely provide initial counseling and also advise you of the choices you have for support.
As well as receiving hospital treatment it is important that the police are informed. The date rapist has abused your trust in a vile way, he needs to be brought to justice.
Even if you avow never to give the attacker another opportunity to date rape you, there is the possibility he will assault someone else. Legal action taken against the abuser will also help you to regain a sense of control of your life.
The effects of a rape can last for a long time after the attack. It is extremely important that a date rape victim receives professional counseling.
Date Rape Victim – Trauma.
Date rape is as traumatizing as any other rape and often more so. The fact that you know your attacker does not alter the fact that rape is rape.
Sometimes victims of acquaintance rape have difficulty in accepting that someone they know, and even trusted, have sexually assaulted them.
The victims worry that they are overreacting, make excuses to themselves about the perpetrators actions, and may even blame themselves for the rape. Being raped can never be your fault.
A date rape victim may react in various ways, they may experience feelings of extreme anger, and they may be fearful and feel helpless. Or they may react with an intense need to remain in control of their life.
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Recovery may take a long time. Support from friends and loved ones, alongside professional counseling and treatment, can help reduce the time needed to recover from the trauma.
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It is very normal to experience feelings of shock, confusion, fear, anger and even guilt. These and other emotions may make discussing the date rape difficult, but a professional counselor will be supportive and help you throughout the process.
In addition to counseling it is advisable to join a support group. Here you will be able to talk with other victims of date rape who have experienced the same challenges and emotional trauma.
Social and other interaction between human beings will always be part of life. We need to interact with people.
The fear of acquaintance rape should not stop you living the life you want to lead. By being aware of the danger of date rape and how to prevent it, you reduce the possibility of being a date rape victim. Stay safe.
It is inferred that the rape victim is female and the rapist is male, because this is usually the case. Sometimes though the abuser is female and the abused male and same sex rape does occur.
How to avoid acquaintance rape.
Should you be attacked, personal attack alarms, if used in the correct way can be effective in frightening off assailants, drawing attention to the assault and bringing help.