Immediate Help

What Will Happen at the Emergency Room?

A medical advocate (someone to accompany you to the hospital) can be reached through any of these resources.

Seeking medical care is important and does not force you to talk to the police.

It is important to have prompt, thorough medical care, as soon as possible after the assault. If you have been assaulted in the last 72 hours, please go to the emergency room immediately. Do not bathe, shower, douche, change clothes, or brush your teeth. If you have done any of those, or have been assault more than 72 hours ago, it is still important to have medical treatment. Please go to the hospital.

When you arrive at the emergency room (ER), you will be placed in a private room. The ER will respond to the physical trauma of the assault and to the collection of evidence in case you decide (now or at a later time) to report to the police or to press charges. Before any examination can begin, you choose whether or not to sign consent forms that allow medical staff to examine, treat and administer medication to you. There is a separate consent form that allows the hospital to release information to the police. The nurse will explain the exam procedures to you and will be present throughout the exam. If you want, the hospital can call a survivor's advocate who can be present with you throughout the hospital examinations. You can also have a friend or family member with you throughout the proceedings.