Though the punishments for sexual assault vary from state to state, the
steps to handling sexual assault are the same no mater where a victim
resides.
Step One
The most important step to follow in the instance of sexual assault is
to find a safe place away from the attacker. When this place has been
reached, the victim is advised to call the police. The police will take
the necessary information to finding the attacker.
Step Two
Establishing trust is an important step. Calling a family member or
friend can help decrease anxiety and assist in the feeling of safety.
Crisis centers and hotlines are available for talking with counselors
in this related field. The National Sexual Assault Hotline is a hotline
that is trained to help those that have been victims of sexual assault.
All hotlines and counselors remind victims that feelings of fear,
shame, shock, and guilt are normal. Counseling from a professional is
also important.
Step Three
Maintaining evidence is crucial in convicting an attacker of sexual
assault. Victims are advised to not comb, wash, or clean any part of
the body. This also includes not changing clothes if possible. These
precautions are necessary before hospital staffing can collect the
needed items for evidence. It is also important to not change or touch
anything at the scene of the assault if possible.
If a victim decides to press charges, the hospital staff can call the
police. They can also give information on local rape crisis centers.
Here individuals can help find proper counseling and attend support
groups. Numbers for shelters, legal assistance, and counseling services
can also be found online or in the phonebook. One of these helpful
programs is RAINN. They provided information and remind victims that
sexual assault is not their fault.
Step Four
Going to the closest hospital emergency room as soon as possible is
very important. A victim will need to be examined for injures and to be
screened for pregnancy and sexually transmitted infections. A rape kit
will be used to collect the needed evidence: hairs, fibers, semen,
saliva, or clothing left by the attacker.
Statutes of Limitations
Even as a sexual assault has been committed, the time in which charges
may be pressed is limited. Different crimes and different states can
vary theses times, but once the time limit has passed, a crime can no
longer be tried for criminal offense. Some states have statutes with
large ranges of ten years while others have shorter ranges of five
years a fewer.
Some states have adopted DNA Exceptions into their statutes of
limitations, which allows the use of DNA to identify an attacker a long
time after the crime was committed. Victims are encouraged to report
the crime as soon as possible for the strongest case possible. After
time has passed it is more difficult to convict an attacker. This is
often due to the lack of DNA evidence.