What to do if you or someone you know has been raped:

1. Remain calm and alert and get to a safe place.

2. Get medical attention within 72 hours if possible – an exam is necessary to diagnose and treat possible internal injuries and/or sexually transmitted diseases, and to gather evidence necessary for investigating the crime. This exam is available at East Alabama Medical Center – simply go to the emergency room and tell them that you believe you have been sexually assaulted and ask for a SANE (Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner) nurse, this is a specially trained nurse for sexual assault cases. Tell the ER or SANE nurse if you think you have been drugged.

3. Do not change your clothing, shower, bathe, or brush your teeth, and do not apply medication to any injuries unless absolutely necessary.

4. If you suspect you were drugged, delay urinating until a sample can be collected.

5. Consider reporting the attack to law enforcement. Safe Harbor advocates can help with this process, and you may help others by reporting. Reporting is not the same thing as prosecuting, and that decision is up to the victim.

6.Contact Safe Harbor and seek counseling – those who get help resolve their experiences faster than those who don’t, and Safe Harbor provides limited free confidential counseling and other services for students.