Anyone who’se been raped, male or female, “true” Catholic or not, should:
- Get themselves to a safe place.
- Notify the police immediately, even if it means reporting a family member or a friend. Reporting the crime can help regain a sense of personal power and control.
- Call someone they trust who can give them support.
- Preserve all physical evidence of the assault. They shouldn’t shower, bathe, douche, eat, drink, wash their hands, or brush their teeth until after they have had a medical exam.
- Go to the emergency room, even if they think they are uninjured, they should still have a medical examination and discuss with a health care provider the risk of exposure to sexually transmitted infections and the possibility of pregnancy resulting from the attack. A Catholic victim of rape has the right to prevent conception by any procedure that is not an abortifacient.
Having a medical exam is also preserves physical evidence of a sexual assault.
The hospital should also take a urine sample to test for drugs like Rohypnol and GHB (i.e., “date rape drugs”).
- Write down as much as they can remember about the circumstances of the attack. Be as detailed as possible.
- Contact a rape crises or victim assistance center in they community. After a rape, victims have a lot of choices and decisions to make - e.g., about getting medical care, making a police report, and telling other people. They may have concerns about the impact of the assault and the reactions of friends and family.
- Talk with a counselor who is trained to assist rape victims. Counseling can help people learn how to cope with the emotional and physical impacts of a rape.
Victims living in the US can find a counselor by calling 1-800-656-HOPE.