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Sexual Assault:

any sexual contact that occurred without your knowing and willing consent.

Remember: It Is NOT your fault.

If you are physically injured:

Seek Medical Care. Medical staff can treat injuries and offer emergency contraception and STI testing (if applicable). Be aware that medical professionals (MDs, RNs, FNPs...) are mandated reporters-- if they recognize your injuries as resulting from sexual assault they will contact law enforcement. It is your decision as to whether you wish to share information with health care personnel or law enforcement. You have the right to your privacy and can share or not share details of what happened as you wish.

If you plan to report: do not wash, comb, or clean any part of your body or change your clothes (if possible). Try to keep all evidence in tact and unaltered.

If you decide to file a police

report, a Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) may be ordered-- this involves a medical exam and care which includes collection of evidence. A SART exam is more likely to be ordered if it falls within 72 hours of the assault. Most SART exams occur at St. Joseph Hospital (in Eureka).

The North Coast Rape Crisis Team will provide you with an advocate to help you through the process if you like. Call 707-445-2881 any time of day. Services are free of charge.

Remind yourself:

  • the assault is over
  • you are safe
  • you are a survivor
  • you will feel better

Counseling is available to help.

CAPS: 826-3236

North Coast Rape Crisis: 445-2881

It is not your fault.

You are not alone-- reach out / let others in.

It gets better--

Take the path of healing!

Additional Resources that you might find helpful

Sexual Assault Resource Agency (SARA), Voices of Hope and Healing: http://saracville.org/

  • Hotline: 434-977-7273 (available 24/7)

RAINN: Rape, Abuse, & Incest National Network: https://rainn.org

Pandora's Project: Support and resources for survivors of rape and sexual abuse: http://pandys.org/

"It's Time to Change Our Approach to Sexual Assault"-- read this story and more in HuffPost: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rachelle-menn/the-problem-with-our-approach-to-sexual-assault-_b_6753386.html

YouTube Stories

Healing from Sexual Assault

There IS life after sexual assault | Breaking my silence

a TED talk worth watching

Jackson Katz: Violence against women--it's a men's issue

This one is a bit academic, but will get you thinking...

Taking Care of Yourself...

After a Sexual Assault:

  • Get support from people that will validate your feelings.
  • Talk about what happened and share your feelings-- but at your own pace. You choose what level of detail to share. Pay attention to your own feelings of safety.
  • Engage in healthy life style choices. Eat well, sleep well, get exercise... avoid alcohol, pot, sugar...
  • Engage in activities that feel good and that inspire your creativity. Start a new novel, finger paint, garden, journal, take up guitar...
  • Carve out "me time" when you need it-- time to be alone, reflect, relax
  • Seek physical affection from safe and trusted individuals. Let yourself be hugged, held... Did you know that hugging releases your body's natural pain-killers?
  • Find a way to process and release your difficult feelings (anger, sadness, anger, shame...). This could be through talking with a therapist or friend or by writing a letter to your attacker [that you may choose not to send] or through some artistic or ritualistic endeavor.

Process of Healing

Of Note...

Many survivors of sexual assault or abuse find group therapy to be essential in their healing. In a group with other survivors, you realize that you are not alone. Consider joining the CAPS survivor group: http://www2.humboldt.edu/counseling/groups_workshops.html

You may not know how to feel or act following a sexual assault. We all handle crises in our own unique way. You may feel numb, angry, sad, embarrassed, fearful... you may question whether the assault really happened... you may have physiological symptoms (headaches, stomachaches, panic attacks)... you may feel like you are going crazy or may feel totally powerless. These are all normal reactions to a horrific event such as a sexual assault. You are not "going crazy" and you will regain a sense of control over your life. Negative feelings will lessen with time, but for some, trauma reactions (such as flashbacks, nightmares, hypervigilance, increased startle response, suspiciousness/mistrust, etc.) may linger and be disruptive in your life for a while. If these reactions are long lasting or significantly troubling/disruptive, you should seek therapy to assist you in the recovery process.

Talking about the assault, whether with a friend, family member or therapist, is a key part of the healing process.

Know your rights and resources

HSU Students: Aside from the option of contacting the police, you may wish to report the assault to the HSU Dean of Students, Randi Darnall Burke at 707-826-5694 or darnall@humboldt.edu. Randi will provide you with options for support and accommodations as well as possibilities for holding accountable the person who harmed you.

a Pathway to Healing

Note: Most employees on campus are "mandated reporters" of sexualized violence and must notify Randi of what they have heard. In such cases, Randi will reach out and offer help. Some campus personnel (CSA's and medical staff in the SHC) are also required to contact UPD.

Again: you get to choose what (and with whom) you wish to share. For details of campus procedures, see: http://www2.humboldt.edu/stoprape/index.html.

There are several entities on and off-campus that can provide CONFIDENTIAL support (i.e., are NOT mandated reporters of sexualized violence of an adult). These include:

  • Counseling & Psychological Services, HSU at 700-826-3236
  • North Coast Rape Crisis Team at 707-445-2881
  • Humboldt Domestic Violence Services at 1-866-668-6543
  • University Police Department at 707-826-5555
  • Health Education: Mira Friedman and Mary Sue Savage (both at 707-826-5234)

Also: Be aware that sexual assault falls under Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. Here is a link to the HSU Policies on Sexual Assault, Intimate Partner/Domestic Violence, Dating Violence and Stalking Policy: http://www2.humboldt.edu/policy/PEM-P14-03Sexual-Assault-Intimate-PartnerDomestic-Violence-Dating-Violence-and-Stalking-Policy

Initial Steps (the practical stuff)

1. Safety: get to a safe location and reach out to safe person/s. If you need emergency assistance, call 9-1-1.

2. Get some initial support in just the way/s you need. For example, you can talk to (or simply be with) a family member or friend, call a crisis line (such as 800-656-HOPE or North Coast Rape Crisis at 707-445-2881), curl up with your cat, whatever. Find a way to center and comfort yourself as best you can.

3. Decide if you wish to report the assault to the police. If you wish to report the crime, you will call the jurisdiction in which the assault occurred.

  • HSU Police: (707) 826-5555
  • Arcata Police: (707) 822-2428
  • Eureka Police: (707) 441-4060
  • Humboldt Co. Sheriff:
  • (707) 839-3857 (McKinleyville)
  • (707) 725-7550 (Fortuna)
  • (707) 445-7251 (Eureka)

(If you are an HSU student, university police are often a good first step in helping you navigate the system even if the assault did not occur on campus).

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