|
Medical Care for Adults after Sexual Assault IMPORTANT: If you have been sexually assaulted please try NOT to eat, drink, wash, comb your hair, use the toilet or change your clothing UNTIL you have had a medical examination. Valuable medical evidence left by your attacker
could easily be destroyed. Your guide to
sexual assault care YOUR GUIDE TO SEXUAL ASSAULT CARE You have suffered a significant shock, It is important that your emotional, physical and practical needs are met, so that you make a good recovery. We can help you. So can: i) Friends and family People you feel close to can support you. Some families and friends are really good at caring for you. Some, though, have difficulty in coping with all the emotions that can follow an assault on someone they love. Some have difficulty in coping with the fact of sexual assault, and may need counselling themselves. ii) Counselling A person trained in sexual abuse counselling can help you and your family to recover. If it is important to you to have someone from your own race or culture to help you, we will try to arrange this for you. Counsellor's name:__________________________ Phone No:________________________ iii) Medical care A doctor with skill in treating people after sexual abuse can treat your injuries
Doctor's name:______________________ Phone
No.:_____________________________ The police can investigate and arrest the person who did this to you, and they can offer you protection from further assault. Name
Phone No.:______________________ Our Courts can convict and punish an offender, and protect you and other people from what has happened to you. SOME MYTHS AND REALITIES ABOUT RAPE There are many "myths" about rape which are cruel and untrue.
It is important that you, and those who are close to you, understand
that reality is very different. Whenever you hear a myth, correct
it!
TRUTHS:
Sometimes it can be important to understand words you may not be familiar with. Forensic - information and tests that may be used as evidence in a Court
of law CARE YOU MAY NEED AFTER A SEXUAL ASSAULT We know that you have suffered a sexual and physical assault. At first you may feel shocked, frightened, confused - just as you would after a serious car accident. You may have seen a lot of people after telling of the assault and you may find it hard to remember everything. This booklet is to take home and read so that you know where to get the best possible care to help you recover. Please remember that we all know that you are NOT responsible for being assaulted. Reaction to sexual assault Everybody reacts differently. It may be some time before you feel okay again, or before you are fully able to deal with what has happened. Often women, children and men suffer from -
At first some people react by crying and talking a lot while others will be calm and controlled. Neither way is "right" or "wrong" if it's your way. Your appetite may decrease, you may have difficulty in getting to sleep, and once you are asleep, you may have disturbing dreams. The assault may affect you for a long time to come. Many people change jobs, move house, and change their friends after an assault. It is common to have difficulty concentrating and continuing your work for a few weeks. You may have continuing depression and fear and find it difficult to trust people. And of course, you may have none of these problems, but it is important for you to know that if they happen, they are absolutely normal. Understanding sexual abuse and separating your reality from the myths held by society can help you to heal. Above all, support by friends, familyl whanau, and the passing of time will all help to lessen your distress and ensure you will recover. "Why me?" Sexual assault takes place when one person has, or tries to have, some form of sex with another person who does not want it - a person who does NOT CONSENT to the act. Whatever happened to you, YOU were not the cause of the
sexual assault. YOU did not make it happen. Do you have a trained person to help you to understand
your abuse, your feelings, the practical problems, and who can help
you recover? If not, you might like to consider that
Assailants Who rapes? Who assaults? Most assailants are "average" men. Some may be more violent, some more insecure. Many are married or have girlfriends. It is most likely to be someone you know, and possibly even felt you could trust. Less often, women also abuse. It is hard to tell who will offend. He could be 'the boy next door", a friend, an uncle, or your best friend's husband. Should I report this assault to the Police? You are the only person who can decide this - though a counsellor may help you decide. Often, people don't report a rape at first, because they are numb and embarrassed and may not wish family and friends to know. It is common to feel some guilt, to blame yourself, or to fear that the assailant or his friends may harm you if you tell. On the other hand, reporting the assault to the police may help you to accept the reality of a crime that has been committed against you and to realise that it was NOT your fault. It is probably not the first time that the assailant has assaulted someone, and it will probably not be the last. The police have officers who are specially trained to protect you. The crime of rape is more important than any other crime except murder in police priority. They will take your report seriously, and depending on the circumstances in your case, give you guidance as to whether to go ahead with your complaint or not. A detective will need to ask questions about the time, the place, and details of the rape or assault. You will be asked for details that may help the police to identify the person who attacked you. They may take you back to the scene of the crime, and they may ask you to identify the assailant. The police require supporting evidence to prove beyond reasonable doubt in court that a particular person is guilty. After talking to you about the assault, they may decide not to proceed if they feel there is not enough evidence. If this happens, it definitely does not mean that they don't believe you or that they will think you have made a "false report". They may feel there is simply not enough evidence in your case, but the information you give them might help them arrest someone who has assaulted other women. It can help to take a good friend with you if you decide to report the crime. The medical examination Consent back to top^ If you do decide to report the assault to the police, they will request a medical examination. This is important as the assailant may have left traces which can be used as evidence - forensic evidence - in a court of law. The examining doctor will tell you about the procedure and will ensure that you are not being pressured to have an examination. No examination can take place without your written consent. You have the right to say 'yes' or 'no' to -
if you are uncertain about making a complaint, you may consent to examination so that forensic evidence can be collected while it is fresh, but you can then ask the doctor who examines you to hold it in safe keeping for up to 72 hours. This gives you time to think. The forensic examination Without evidence, it is your word against the word of your assailant, so it can be important to find evidence to help convict the criminal. A forensic examination can provide supporting evidence about where the assault happened, when it happened, and who assaulted you. The doctor who examines you will explain the details, and ask if you consent. The questions asked may include past medical history, operations, injuries, pregnancies, contraception, and the last time you had intercourse before the assault. Recalling events may be painful, and you might like to have your counsellor with you. You can ask a familylwhanau member or friend to be present. The police will want to collect the clothes you were assaulted in for evidence, and you will need to bring along another set of clothes. The physical examination A careful medical examination may take from 2 to 3 hours, because the doctor takes time to explain what she/he is going to do and why. The doctor will be as sensitive to your needs as possible, but must try to get the best possible samples for use as evidence. A friend is welcome to be with you during the examination. The doctor will examine your whole body for injuries - this is for medical reasons, as well as the taking of evidence. Sometimes if you are sore or shocked, you may not have noticed bruising, cuts or stains. An internal examination will be needed to collect sperm and to check for infection. This may include a rectal (back passage) examination. Ways of collecting evidence include taking blood samples for identifying a blood group, for alcohol and for drugs. Other samples, of head and pubic hair, fingernail scrapings, evidence of stains and debris like grass, hair, mud and gravel will be taken, and so will swabs. An ultraviolet light is used to detect semen or seminal fluid. You may be asked to chew gum, as special tests can be done on your saliva. It's a very thorough examination, and even if some of it seems unnecessary in your case, please remember that both positive and negative findings can be important, if your case is to be prepared for Court. There are good medical reasons to have a medical examination - quite apart from the collection of evidence. A doctor can
A doctor can also · give you antibiotics in combination to prevent sexually transmitted diseases.This will usually be a range of antibiotics including Amoxicillin, Probenecid, Doxycycline and a cream or pessary for Thrush. This combination prevents most STDs, but it is important to return to your doctor in four weeks time to be absolutely sure. · check you again four weeks later for infection and pregnancy and discuss any worries you may have. It is particularly important to attend if you develop a discharge from the vagina, an itch, or sores. · discuss any fears you may have about your safety, and changes that you can make so that you feel more secure. · provide you with details about what you can claim through the ACC. (see below) · write a letter to your own GP, if you wish it, This can be a good idea, as your GP is going to be the doctor who is most readily available to you for any future problems that you have. Sexual assault is an injury by accident. You are entitled to claim for the costs of medical treatment and counselling. You may also need time off work which is compensated by ACC. Your doctor will assist you to fill out an M46 which is the form used for documentation of the injury/assault. This form is designed for accidents like broken bones and is difficult to fill out under these circumstances. The sections on INJURY DETAILS - HOW WAS YOUR INJURY CAUSED? and MEDICAL CERTIFICATE - DIAGNOSIS AND/OR DESCRIPTION OF INJURIES can be filled out with the words "Sensitive Claim". However, for the ACC to accept your claim and pay the costs of treatment, they will require much more detailed information at some time. Your doctor will ask for permission to provide all the information that he/she can. A full statement from you can wait until you have a counsellor to assist you. Safe address We may need to write to you. It is important that any mail relating to the assault remains private if you wish it. Please tell the doctor who examines you of a "safe address" where your privacy is respected. back to top^ Patients often find it difficult to come back for the follow-up visit - either to the doctor who examined them at the time of the assault or to their own GP. Please have courage. It is important for your health. Why? This is the time to review your recovery: · have your injuries healed - do you have any worries? · are you still worried about being pregnant as a result of rape? Do you need counselling or medical help? · have you caught any sexually transmitted infection? It's a good idea to check this out with a medical examination, so you have no fears about problems in the future. · are you having problems coping at work, at home, or socially? It is natural for people to have difficulty in trusting new friends. Perhaps this is a good time to see a counsellor if you haven't talked to one before. Have family and friends been supportive - or do they need the help of a counsellor to sift through all the emotions that can follow an assault on someone they love? Don't settle for 'second best'.
|
