Finding Help and Recovery After Sexual Abuse and Domestic Violence

Getting Help after Sexual Assault

If you have been the victim of sexual assault, you may be in shock from the trauma of the experience.

You may be unsure of what to do next.

If you feel that your safety is in danger at all, you need to call 911.

If you are seriously injured, you need to seek medical attention right away.

In the immediate aftermath, it can be difficult to make decisions because of the shock that often accompanies the trauma of a sexual assault.

The most important thing to consider is your safety.

If you are feeling unsafe, ask someone you trust to help you.

Ask someone who can support you emotionally and physically.

You are not alone.

You do not have to go through this alone.

Remember that the sexual assault you experienced is not your fault.

You did not cause it; you are the victim of a crime.

The person who assaulted you may have told you that it was your fault, but that is not true.

No one deserves to endure such trauma.

If you require immediate medical or legal support or getting help after sexual assault, support, please call 911 or your nearest medical facility.

If you need counseling support, please call Take Back the Night at (855) 598-4086.

We do our best to respond to all inquiries within 24 hours.

Our volunteers will help you get the help you need at your own pace.

After enduring a sexual assault, you will need to determine your best path forward.

How you choose to take care of your psychological, emotional, and physical needs is a personal decision.

You may want to visit a crisis center or hospital after an assault.

A health care professional can use his or her expertise to treat your physical wounds.

If you are in shock, you may not yet be able to feel the extent of your physical pain.

A healthcare provider can help treat all of your physical injuries.

A health care center can also provide you with a rape kit.

This is a forensic exam that can collect DNA, samples of blood, and other evidence of the assault.

If the thought of undergoing a rape kit overwhelms you, you do have a small window of time in which to make up your mind.

Preserving evidence in this way can help immensely when pursuing a criminal or civil case against your attacker.
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Emotional Help

After a sexual assault, many victims experience derealization.

In this process, the limbic system will fire on all cylinders as part of the fight or flight response.

It is helpful to use whatever coping methods available to create a sense of normalcy and safety.

This could mean getting in bed under a layer of blankets or asking a best friend to come and stay with you.

Do you have a friend who will offer unconditional support?

This is someone who without judgment or prying into the details will support you.

Try to find that person and ask for help.

If you cannot imagine yourself talking to a friend about what happened, you may wish to do so anonymously by calling our hotline at (855) 598-4086.

Our volunteers are trained to offer support and listen to your story with care and concern.

Processing the sexual assault experience is challenging to many survivors.

Avoiding thinking about what happened is a natural response to trauma, but avoidance will not help you heal.

In some ways, we are conditioned to doubt our own experiences.

This can lead to some assault survivors to suspect that they were not actually victims.

They may wonder “was this really my fault?” or “was it actually consensual”?

These thoughts may cause additional trauma and lead to increased anxiety and depression.

A mental health professional can help you process your experience and explore healthy coping mechanisms.

Effective coping methods could include exercise, meditation, and journaling.

When looking for a therapist, be sure to find one with experience helping survivors of sexual trauma.

You may be afraid that thinking about your trauma will force you to remember painful memories.

But with help from a properly trained therapist, you can begin to process your trauma and set out on the road to recovery.

There is hope for survivors of sexual assault.

You can find stories of women who have found healing after sexual assault with the #weshatterthesilence hashtag on social media and our Share These Stories page.

Help for Fighting Back

Some sexual assault survivors want to prosecute their assailants immediately.

Others may be hesitant to report the assault due to fear, anxiety, or confusion as to how to go about doing so.

Over 70% of sexual assault survivors are assaulted by someone they know.

Many victims may distrust the police, and the thought of speaking to police may fill them with anxiety.

The thought of prosecuting a friend, acquaintance, or family member may be too much for them.

Survivors may feel shame, fear, or anxiety about having to share their testimony in court.

These survivors have other avenues of pursuing justice, and we seek to help them find the one that restores their sense of power and well-being.

This may come in the form of telling their story, seeking justice by their own volition, and/or filing a police report.

One of the significant barriers to survivors receiving help is that they do not have access or the ability to afford legal advice.

At Take Back the Night, we help sexual assault victims find free legal assistance.

Fill out our free legal assistance form, and one of our legal partners will contact you.

Our legal team does their best to get back to you within one to two business days.

Whether you need immediate help, emotional support, or legal help, we are here for you.

Contact us and let us help support you in your healing journey.
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Are you or a loved one a victim of sexual violence, rape, or other forms of abuse? Apply today for FREE legal help by filling out the form below.
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