Domestic Violence Coalition of Oswego County

Sexual Assault Survivors

WHAT TO DO:
after a sexual assault

Whether or not you choose to report the crime, We advise seeking medical attention before you.....

Shower, brush your teeth, or change or wash your clothes.

Note: Only hospital emergency rooms can maintain rape kits for medical evidence.

Talk to someone you trust or call the Abuse and Assault Hotline at 342-1600

Medical attention is very important for survivors of sexual assault, no matter how long ago the incident took place. Treatment for injuries and testing for sexually transmitted diseases including HIV/AIDS, is available from most private doctors, Oswego County Opportunities, Inc. Health Centers, Oswego County Health Department. Hospital Emergency Rooms can also provide these services as well as gather legal evidence.

Other SAF Services:

SAF House - temporary shelter for women and children in crisis.
Domestic Violence Program - free, individual and group counseling and other support services for survivors of domestic violence and their children.
Crime Victim's Program - assistance to innocent crime victims to cover out of pocket expenses resulting from the crime.
Abuse Prevention Program - classroom presentations on the prevention of domestic violence and sexual abuse.
Community Education - presentations to community groups on domestic violence, sexual assault, elder abuse, and crime victims compensation.

MALE SEXUAL ASSAULT

Any male can be the victim of sexual assault, regardless of age, class, race, disability or sexual orientation.

MYTHS AND FACTS

Myth: Men can't be sexually assaulted.
Fact: Any person can be the victim of sexual assault. Although outdated laws in NYS define the rape of males as sodomy, the reality of the crime and the intensity of its impact makes sexual assault one of the most devastating acts of violence a male can experience.

Myth: Rape of men only happens in prison
Fact: Sexual assault can occur anytime, anyplace. Those who claim that rape of males happens only in prison contribute to the continuing denial of the problem of rape in the larger male community.

Myth: Only homosexual men rape each other.
Fact: The overwhelming majority of men who rape other men are heterosexual, as are their victims. Rape is a crime of violence, not of passion. Rapists seek to dominate and humiliate their victims. Rape is not an erotic act and is not related to a person's sexual orientation.

Myth: Males are always raped by people they don't know.
Fact: Males can be raped by strangers or by people they know and trust. Men have reported being sexually assaulted by family, teachers, clergymen, therapists, physicians, and other acquaintances.

Myth: All rape victims are young and weak.
Fact: Any male, no matter how old or strong, can be the victim of sexual abuse.

Myth: If a victim is sexually aroused during a sexual assault, it means he wants to be raped.
Fact: Sexual arousal, even during sexual assault, is usually involuntary. So, sometimes males who are being raped experience or are forced into a state of sexual arousal. This does not mean that the individual wants to be raped. This response is one way the body protects itself from the physical and emotional trauma of the attack.

Myth: The best way to cope with rape is to forget about it.
Fact: Denying the impact of rape can have serious emotional consequences. Virtually any reaction is normal. These can include:

anger
fear
guilt
self-blame
denial
depression

sexual dysfunction
sleeplessness
feeling helpless
feeling out of control
difficulty concentrating

Survivors of rape often fear being misunderstood and ridiculed. The intensity of these feelings can contribute to the individual's decision not to tell anyone about the assault.

SURVIVORS SPEAK OUT

"I couldn't believe such a thing could happen. I was sure I'd wake up and it wouldn't be real. I didn't want it to be real."

"Why was I picked to be the victim? Was there something about me? The way I look? Act? Live? Why me? I couldn't find the answer.

"Being victimized has made me paranoid, distrustful, humiliated, isolated, cautious, apathetic, and in emotional pain."

"I need to find out from other rape victims how being raped has affected their lives and relationships. I'm pretty sure others have felt what I have."

REACTIONS TO RAPE

Thousands of men are raped each year in the United States, yet only a fraction of these assaults are reported. Male rape is one of the most under-reported of crimes; male rape survivors are among the most undeserved crime victims.

In our society, an enormous stigma is associated with being the victim of sexual assault.

Survivors of sexual assault frequently encounter unsupportive or even hostile reactions from the criminal justice system, social service providers, family, friends, and lovers.

As a result, male survivors of sexual assault too often suffer in isolation and silence the enormous trauma that rape can create, trying to forget that the assault ever happened. This does not have to be the case.

Click here for more information on Rape Crisis

MEDICAL ISSUES

Medical attention is very important for survivors of sexual assault, no matter how long ago the incident took place. Initial follow - up treatment and testing for sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV/AIDS is available from most private doctors, as well as the county health department and family planning clinics. Hospital emergency rooms can also provide these services, as well as the gathering of legal evidence.

SERVICES AVAILABLE

Rape Crisis Services are available to all victims of sexual abuse, male or female, to help them deal with their emotions, whether anger, guilt, or loss of control. SAF provides Hotline counseling as well as information and referral to community resources. These include:

*mental health providers
*batterer intervention programs
*attorneys
*housing options
*education and training providers
*substance abuse and alcohol providers
*Individual counseling for survivors and / or their family and friends
*24 hour accompaniment to medical and law enforcement emergency encounters, for sexual assault survivors
*Accompaniment to law enforcement, district attorney, and court appointments, with advance notice.
*Advocacy and consultation with other human services agencies, at the request of survivors

Things to Remember:

*Get medical attention.

*Help is available no matter how long ago the sexual assault took place.
*All services are free and confidential.
*Family and friends can also use any of the services SAF offers.

It's NOT your Fault!

DON'T HESITATE
TO CALL

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ABUSE & ASSAULT HOTLINE
342-1600 (24 hours/7 days)