Welcome to SOAR: Speaking Out About Rape

Get Live Help Now via RAINN's Online Hotline

The Online Hotline, which is a secure web-based crisis hotline, provides live, secure and completely confidential help to victims through an interface as intuitive as instant messaging. For the first time ever, victims who need help, but are reluctant to call the telephone hotline, have the option of communicating securely online with someone who has the training to help them take steps toward recovery.

The Online Hotline is available from 4 pm to 6 pm EST, Monday through Friday. More days and times will open within the next few weeks and months.

To access the on-line hotline go to http://www.rainn.org/ohl-bridge.php or www.rainn.org.

Resources

Get Live Help Now via RAINN's Online Hotline

What to Do if You're Raped

What to Do to Reduce the Risk of a Sexual Assault

What to Do If a Friend Is Raped

A Rape Victim's Rights

What to do if You're Raped

If you are able to get away, run to a place that is well lit and where there are other people.

Find a safe place away from the attacker and call 911, a friend, or your local rape crisis center. To locate the rape crisis center in your area, you can call the National Sexual Assault Hotline, operated by RAINN: 1-800-656-HOPE.

To assist in investigating/prosecuting the rapist, preserve as much evidence as possible.

DO NOT take a shower or bath, douche or urinate, brush your teeth or hair, change clothes, drink or eat, smoke, or wash your hands before you go to the hospital or rape crisis center.
DO NOT disturb the area where the rape occurred.
Write down as many details as you can remember about the attack and the assailant
If you think you were drugged, tell the person you are reporting to so they can perform the proper tests.

If you do not want to report the rape, you should still seek medical attention. Even if you do not have visible wounds there may be internal injuries and you will need to be tested for STDs including HIV, and, pregnancy.

If you report the rape to the police, it is important to be up-front and honest with them about all the details.

Although it may be embarrassing to tell the police everything that happened, it is vital to tell them every detail you can. Remember, the rapist forced you to do what he wanted.
Be truthful in your re-telling of events to the police. Often the defense will try to attack your credibility. If you are open and honest from the beginning, attacking your credibility will be more difficult.

Seek counseling. Counseling is important to healing. If you try to pretend the rape didn't happen, it will eventually affect every aspect of your life. The sooner you start processing what happened and start rebuilding your life, the sooner you will be able to start healing. To find the rape crisis counseling center in your area, you can call the National Sexual Assault Hotline, operated by RAINN at 1-800-656-HOPE or visit their website at www.rainn.org.

REMEMBER: Whatever you did to survive was the right thing to do. You are NOT to blame. The rapist committed a crime. Going on a date or giving someone your phone number is not a crime!

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