What to do After Experiencing Sexual Assault
Reporting
How to Report
What will the police do?
Whether or not you wish to report to the police or go to the hospital, or if you have questions, call our crisis and information hotline for confidential support and crisis intervention at 801-356-2511.
If you think you might go to the hospital, don’t bathe or douche. This could destroy valuable evidence.
If oral contact took place, try not to smoke, eat, drink, or brush your teeth until after you have been examined.
Medical attention is vital, as you may have injuries of which you are unaware. They can also test you for sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancy, and provide appropriate treatment.You can access these services without reporting to the police, however if the healthcare provider suspects abuse they are mandated to report to law enforcement.
If you’ve already changed clothes, place them in a paper bag (plastic may destroy evidence) and bring them with you. If you haven’t changed, keep your original clothes on, and bring an extra set to wear home from the hospital. The police may need to keep your clothes for evidence. This could be vital to prosecution.
You can request a victim advocate. If you are not provided one at the hospital or police department, ask for an advocate from the local rape crisis center or call the crisis and information hotline at 801-356-2511 and ask that a trained advocate meet you at the hospital or police department.
Reporting
The decision to report the assault to law enforcement is solely up to you. Deciding
whether or not to report a sexual assault is very difficult for most survivors.
Reporting may simply not be possible for you right now. Only you know.
Before you disclose that you have been raped or sexually assaulted to a medical
practitioner, be aware that all medical professionals are required to report
to law enforcement when they treat injuries that are clearly from a crime.
Many survivors see reporting as a good way to get some control back. On the
other hand, the process can be both slow and unsatisfying.
If you choose to report the crime, it is very important to report a sexual assault
to the police as soon as possible. In many cases, the ability to catch and prosecute
the offender depends on it. The hospital staff or a victim advocate can contact
the police for you, or you may contact them yourself.
Reporting is the only way that law enforcement will know that the rapist is
dangerous and hopefully protect you and others from him or her. However, you
are entitled to decide what is best or possible for you right now.
If you are severely injured, you should go to the emergency room at a hospital, however contacting the police will ensure that the correct authorities have been notified.
If you are unsure of what to do, call our confidential hotline at 801-356-2511
and one of our team members will be able to answer your questions.
How to Report
Rape is a crime, and it should be reported. There are many ways to contact law
enforcement. The best way to start the process is to contact the city police
department where the assault took place and to let them know what happened. Click here
for a list of local police departments. Call the dispatch number to report.
Police First Response
The responding officer will ask you detailed questions about what occurred,
where, when and how. Many of the questions may feel invasive or difficult to
answer. It will be helpful to have a victim
advocate sit with you to provide support and to intervene in the event that
the officer makes inappropriate comments or asks biased questions.Well-trained
officers understand how difficult it is to answer these questions, but if they are to aid in an investigation,
they need as much detail as possible. You must sign this statement (a declaration
of the facts in your own words about what happened to you), including a description
of the offender and where the attack took place.Your case is assigned a number,
which is something you may want to know. You may request a copy of the police report for your own files. If you see any
errors, or you remember any further information that will aid the police, you
should inform the victim advocate and/or police. It is not unusual to remember
more detail as time passes.
From UCASA's "You are a Survivor" booklet
