Disclaimer: We acknowledge that there are many different words that individuals use to describe themselves after experiencing sexual assault. 在本文中,为了保持一致性,澳门银河网站使用“幸存者”一词. We acknowledge that there are many different ways of processing sexual violence, and believe each individual person should choose the language that they are most comfortable with.
Sexual assault is defined as any nonconsensual sexual contact involving force upon a person without consent. Assault does not have to be penetrative: it includes both fondling and molestation. Sexual assault is considered rape when it involves oral, anal, or vaginal penetration.The contact is also illegal if inflicted upon a person who is incapable of giving consent, 因为年龄, 身体的能力, 或者精神上的丧失能力. 一个人可能会遭受朋友的性侵犯, 恋人, 或者家庭成员, 但不管关系如何, 不想要的性接触是不可以的. 在性接触中,同意应该非常明确. If the person you are with does not obtain an enthusiastic yes, there is no consent. 在任何情况下,沉默都不能被视为同意. 大约三分之二的幸存者认识攻击者, and few attacks occur from complete strangers. If you think you may have been sexually assaulted and you’re not sure what to do, 你可以从阅读这篇文章开始
If possible, go to a friend’s house, an open restaurant, or a well-lit, public location. 澳门银河网站鼓励你在这个阶段考虑报警, 因为你越早报告袭击事件, 当局就越有可能抓住袭击者. 如果你想给朋友或爱人打电话,请便. 不管你需要花多长时间告诉他们整个故事. 请求他们来和你住在一起, or consider asking to stay with them if that makes you feel safer or at ease. 如果你感到震惊, 继续深呼吸,直到你能够处理你的想法. You don’t need to make any immediate decisions about reporting the crime or pressing charges, but remember that sexual assault and rape are serious crimes that are punishable by law.
去急诊室可能会让人情绪低落, 尤其是在遭受了性侵的创伤之后, 但澳门银河网站强烈建议你来参观一下. 可以收集证据, 可以评估内部和外部损伤, 性传播感染可以治疗, 任何怀孕的可能性都可以消除. If you don’t want to talk to a counselor at the hospital when you visit the ER, you don’t have to. 急诊室的专业人员也会收集阴道或肛门内残留的精液, 寻找衣物纤维, 土壤, 或者是犯罪现场的草, and take clippings of your fingernails to examine any possible residue from your attacker or the scene. The evidence is marked, stored, and can be accessed if you choose to prosecute the attacker.
不管你是否决定报案, 你应该认真考虑一下去急诊室, 或者让朋友或爱人陪你去那里, 在袭击之后尽快. 一些幸存者害怕被急诊室的工作人员评判, 或者担心其他人会从他们的拜访中发现性侵犯. 记住,医疗专业人员会帮助你. 即使你感到羞耻, 内疚, 或者你还没有从袭击中恢复过来, 在急诊室尽量让别人看到你. 急诊室的工作人员会进行法医检查, 也被称为“强奸工具包”,这将收集可能不利于犯罪者的证据. 澳门银河网站理解想要洗掉袭击留下的痕迹的冲动, 但不要洗澡或淋浴, 梳头, 冲洗, 或者在你到达急诊室之前换好衣服或鞋子. 检查包括阴道和/或肛门检查和血液检查, and emergency contraception may be prescribed if a possibility of pregnancy is suspected.
正如澳门银河网站上面提到的,你没有法律义务举报犯罪. 这完全是你的决定. Many victims say that reporting is the very last thing that they want to do after being attacked, 这是可以理解的. 超过一半的强奸受害者没有报案. 在过去十年中,性侵犯的报告数量大幅增加. 澳门银河网站希望幸存者能举报他们的性侵, because sexual assault is wrong and attackers should be punished for their actions. 然而,澳门银河网站知道这有多难. 如果你不喜欢,你可以立即报警, we encourage you to write down as many details as you can remember about the assault, 尽快. 把这些东西写下来的经历是多么痛苦, the details could also serve as evidence or a statement to the police in the future. 如果你一个人做这件事不舒服, 让一个朋友帮你写下这个故事, 或者考虑咨询顾问或其他支持你的人. Writing down the details of the attack may be difficult, but some survivors find it cathartic.
大约三分之二的幸存者认识攻击者, 你可能认识攻击你的人,甚至和他们是朋友. This may deter you from reporting them in fear that they will be angry with you. If you are worried, call your local rape crisis center, and take shelter with a friend or loved one. 许多性侵犯的幸存者选择等待报告, using the evidence collected with the rape kit at the ER to press charges months later. 没有时间限制, and no law that keeps you from reporting your attack even months after it occured.
如果你想向警方报告性侵犯, 拨打911或当地紧急服务电话, 或者叫朋友打电话. 急诊室的医生也可以为你打电话. You can report sexual assault to the police even if you have no physical injuries. 如果攻击者企图性侵犯, 然后在袭击结束前逃跑了, 你仍然可以举报. Once you report the crime a police officer will visit you and take your statement. 警方还将收集物证, 并参考急诊室就诊的证据,比如头发, 液体, 和纤维. The interview may take several hours, and some questions will likely be difficult to answer. Be prepared to provide extensive details of the event, and to repeat your statements. It’s not that the police don’t believe you—it’s that they need as much information as possible to make the best possible case against the perpertrator. 你不需要独自参加面试. Ask a friend or trained volunteer from your local rape crisis center to go with you.
许多幸存者在袭击后常常感到内疚和羞耻. You may feel 内疚 in wondering if there is something that you could have done to prevent what happened, 如果你感到羞耻, 你可能觉得自己罪有应得. 请尽量避免这些想法. 内疚和羞耻只会延长你的康复过程, 加深创伤, and perpetuate the myth that the victim is responsible for the perpetrator’s actions. If you wish you had said “NO” aloud, or you wish you hadn’t invited the person over, stop wishing. 记住,未经同意的性行为是性侵犯. Regardless of what you said, did, wore, or what drugs or alcohol you consumed, it does not matter. 如果你想进一步探索这些感觉, call your local rape crisis center and consider arranging to speak to a counselor there. 虽然一开始很吓人, speaking with a professional who has an unbiased and outside perspective might be extremely helpful.
Some survivors of sexual assault face a long and complicated healing process, dealing with a number of different emotions in the coming months and years. Many survivors of sexual assault report feeling fear in the aftermath of the trauma. You may be afraid to be alone, outdoors, or around men or women in general. 你可能特别害怕再次见到袭击你的人. 给 yourself time, and don’t expect to feel completely comfortable with anyone in the near future. 你会重新开始信任别人, 但这可能需要你朋友的帮助, 你爱的人, 和/或咨询师. 不幸的是,倒叙也很常见. If you experience a flashback, tell yourself that it is normal, and that you are in a safe place now. 感受你周围的空间:你坐着的椅子, 隔壁房间里人们说话的声音. 认识到你不是在袭击发生的地方. 深呼吸,打电话给支持你的人,你可以和他们谈谈. 如果闪回继续, 考虑尝试将事件与不同的事件重新关联, 积极的记忆. 如果你开始有记忆闪回, 试着把你的注意力转移到记住一个生日聚会上, 童年记忆, 或者是美丽的风景. Anxiety is also reported by survivors of sexual trauma—many individuals feel “on-guard,“随时都有可能遭到袭击. 其他幸存者感到恐慌, 哪些会伴有身体症状(呼吸短促, 汗水, 或者心悸.)另一些人则对攻击者、自己和他人感到愤怒. 作为幸存者, 你完全有权利感到愤怒, 但如果你在抨击那些关心你的人, 考虑向咨询师或支持性人士寻求进一步的帮助. Exercise, meditation, and deep abdominal breathing are great ways to release negative feelings. 写日记或日志记录你的生活, 你的治愈过程, 你的创伤后自我也可以非常宣泄和帮助. 但请记住,性侵犯不是你的错.