Yet, shockingly, it happens more often than people might expect. In fact, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC , one in five women will experience sexual violence in her lifetime, often perpetrated by someone they know and trust. Men and boys can be subjected to sexual violence as well.
Regardless of age or gender, sexual violence and rape robs people of their safety and security. As a result, it's not uncommon for people who have been targeted to struggle with trust. They also may question their judgment, their self-worth , and even their sanity. Relationships no longer feel safe and intimacy feels nearly impossible. They may also believe lies about themselves and indulge in self-blame and self-hatred.
If you have been assaulted or raped, it's important to remember that what you are feeling, thinking, and experiencing is a normal reaction to trauma.
And, no matter how difficult life may feel right now, there is hope. You can regain your sense of safety. You can learn to trust again. And most importantly you can heal and move on with your life. Here are some steps you can take that will put you on the path to recovery. Being violated in some way—either through rape, sexual assault, or sexual abuse—can leave you feeling shocked, scared, and uncertain of what to do next.
Here are some things you can do right away to address the situation and begin the healing process. Assuming that the incident happened recently, the first step is to make sure you are safe. Depending on where you are, you might want to go to a friend's house or find someone who can help you like at a hospital. If you feel you are in immediate danger, call The key is that you are safe and cared for.
They can walk you through the process of getting help. Most people who have been assaulted or raped want to take a shower or a bath right away. But if you can hold off, it is best to leave everything on your body as is. Don't even brush your teeth or comb your hair until you have been examined. You also should not eat, drink, smoke, or take any medications.
Even if you have no plans to press charges, it is important that the evidence is left intact—especially because you might change your mind down the road. Understandably, the last thing you want is to be touched, poked, or prodded, but for your health and safety it's important that you get a medical examination right away. The doctors and nurses who take care of people who have been assaulted are highly trained professionals. Numerous federal laws require that educational institutions, including local school districts, post-secondary institutions, charter schools, for-profit schools, libraries and museums take steps to both prevent sexual violence as well as address complaints of sexual violence.
If you are enrolled in school and you report an allegation of sexual assault to the school, federal law requires that your school have stated policies and procedures of handling allegations of sexual violence, including a process to investigate and discipline reported perpetrators of sexual violence. An educational institution that you are attending and to which you have reported a sexual assault is also required to provide you with emotional, medical, and academic assistance and accommodations in the wake of a reported instance of sexual violence.
Survivors may choose to file complaints with their educational institutions when they want a relatively fast resolution compared to a civil or criminal case or if they do not want to go through the criminal justice system.
Educational institutions are required to resolve complaints of sexual violence within months and are required to provide intermediary measures like no-contact orders between the victim and the perpetrator. However, the level of skill and compassion with which the institution handles the allegation of sexual assault, the training provided to those in charge, and the seriousness of the punishment for the perpetrator can vary greatly between schools.
The organization Know Your IX may be a helpful resource to help you decide whether to file a complaint with your educational institution. You may also consider talking to an advocate, lawyer or counselor to help you decide whether to file a complaint with your school.
For more information on Title IX and sexual assaults on campus, see our What if I am sexually assaulted at school? The organization Know Your IX has information that may be able to help you learn the laws that protect you at educational institutions and the resources available to you.
Additionally, the organization Stop Sexual Assault in Schools provides resources that address sexual assault and sexual harassment in schools. You can also find legal resources on our Finding a Lawyer page. All rights reserved.
Department of Justice. Neither the U. Department of Justice nor any of its components operate, control, are responsible for, or necessarily endorse, this website including, without limitation, its content, technical infrastructure, and policies, and any services or tools provided. Skip to main content. You are here Home » Legal Information. Basic info What is sexual assault? How common is it? What is rape? What is statutory rape?
Steps to take after a sexual assault What can I do if I have been sexually assaulted recently? What can I do if I was sexually assaulted in the past? Who can I call for help? I am not ready to report the assault now but I may be ready in the future. What do I need to know? What are my options for filing a complaint? What if I am sexually assaulted at school? Additional information Where can I find information for male victims of sexual assault?
If the police have a suspect, they may also order them to be examined. The police may also take pictures of places on your body where there is evidence of violence such as cuts or bruises, and they may keep some of your clothing as evidence. You might also be required to pay for the examination fee. After a statement is given, the police may require you to identify the scene where the attack happened either by going back there or via a CCTV record.
If they detain someone, they may ask you to identify them. Depending on the location we will try to come with you if you want us to, and if the police allow us to. Once someone is detained the police have up to 30 days to do an initial investigation and collect evidence.
Once the attacker is formally arrested the police will be allowed more time to continue the investigation. When they believe they have enough evidence for a prosecution, they will present the case to the Public Procuratorate Office again.
If the case is suitable for prosecution, it will be submitted to a court, who will arrange a trial. If it is not, it may be sent back to the police for further investigation. From detention to trial normally takes 2 to 4 months. A more complex case could take even longer.
The Embassy or consulate can provide a list of English-speaking lawyers. A lawyer can make a statement in front of the public prosecutor when the prosecution is decided. The law in Vietnam does allow lawyers to do pro bono work in the case of individuals on low incomes. Whether a lawyer would offer a pro bono service is totally up to them. It is extremely unlikely pro bono services would be provided to a foreign national.
Lawyers Vietnam. You can leave Vietnam after the case is filed. You must inform the police or prosecutor before you do and there may be some paperwork you need to sign. If you leave Vietnam, we can keep you updated on the progress of the case if you wish. Once the court decides on a date for a hearing, they will notify the Embassy or Consulate-General. This may be at very short notice. We will notify you as soon as possible. Cases are usually closed hearings so we will not be allowed to sit in.
Under local law the victim is entitled to be kept informed at all stages of the progress of the case. A lawyer will help with access to information and in keeping a victim better informed, particularly as all communications will be in Vietnamese.
If the case is referred to further investigation a victim may be required to make additional statement if so, requested to by the local authorities. Under Vietnamese law it is not possible to drop charges once they have been filed if the local authorities believe a crime has been committed. In reality, should a foreigner wish to withdraw a petition for charge it is unlikely that a case would be brought. You would need to make a written letter of withdrawal and submit it to the police or prosecutor asking them to drop the case.
It is unlikely that there would be any legal repercussions for the victim. If a false accusation was proven the law states that the person who made the false accusation is subject to legal liabilities and in such a situation the alleged assailant would be entitled to press counter charges. There is no government compensation scheme to cover physical or psychological injuries suffered however it is possible to attach a civil claim for compensation to the criminal case.
You will need to speak to a lawyer on how to proceed with this. We can provide a list of English-speaking lawyers if you need one. Compensation would normally be settled at the same time as the case is brought before the criminal court but where there is insufficient evidence to make a judgement on the civil aspect of the case, compensation for any injuries may be separated and dealt with at a later date in accordance with civil case proceedings.
We can provide you with lists of English-speaking medical facilities, lawyers and translators. We may also be able to accompany you to the local hospital. If you are travelling with a tour operator, you can report the incident to them and ask for their assistance.
Where possible and if you wish, the tour operator may accompany you to the local hospital. It is possible to report the crime to police in the UK. However, it is for foreign police forces to decide whether to investigate a crime in their jurisdiction. Lastly, there will be a brief pelvic or gyn exam, including a speculum exam.
For your personal health, the following tests should be done:. If you decide to have legal evidence collected in case you choose to later prosecute the perpetrator, a rape kit will be done. This involves the following:. Not all of the above samples are taken from every patient. It depends on the sort of attack you have experienced.
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