• Go to a safe place - consider going to your room, a friend’s room, or anywhere you will feel safe.
• Call someone you trust - no matter how late it is, you should not be alone. Consider calling a close friend, roommate, Residential College Dean, freshman counselor, professor, or Yale religious minister.
• Call the Yale Sexual Harassment & Assault Resource & Education Center Crisis number 203 432-6653

or

• Come to Urgent Care (17 Hillhouse Avenue – Ground Floor). You can arrange a ride to Urgent Care by calling the minivan at 203 432-2788, or call Urgent Care for assistance.
• Victims are encouraged to have evidence collected immediately following a sexual assault. Evidence collection is done at the Yale New Haven Hospital Emergency Department. If you would like to have an evidence collection exam, evidence must be collected as soon as possible after the assault. Evidence will be held for 60 days while the victim decides whether or not to press charges, but it is not possible to collect evidence at a future date. Medical attention, emergency contraception, pregnancy testing, and testing for HIV and other STI’s (sexually transmitted illnesses), for both men and women, is also provided in the Emergency Department.
• Try to preserve the evidence - resist the urge to cleanse yourself. It may be difficult to keep from washing yourself, but if you do you may destroy evidence that could be useful should you decide to report the assault to the police. Do not wash, douche, change clothes, eat, drink, smoke, brush your teeth, go to the bathroom, or brush your hair. Even if you are not sure about reporting the assault, it makes sense to preserve the option of reporting until you make a final decision.
• If you decide to have evidence collected, bring a change of clothing with you since your clothes may be needed for evidence.
• Victims are encouraged to seek medical attention – there may be internal injuries that can not be seen or felt. If you do not want to have evidence collected, but you are in need of medical attention, emergency contraception, pregnancy testing, and/or testing for HIV and other STI’s (sexually transmitted illnesses) for both men and women, these services are available at Urgent Care at YUHS.
• Note: Evidence collection, however, cannot be done at Urgent Care and must be done at Yale New Haven Hospital Emergency Department.

• Call the Yale Sexual Harassment & Assault Resource & Education resource number 203 432-6653

• to discuss how to proceed
• to review options for reporting and/or contacting the police
• to explore ways to get medical, emotional, and/or psychological care

• Call YUHS Urgent Care 203 432-0123 for medical services
• Students are encouraged to seek medical attention – there may be internal injuries that can not be seen or felt. Testing for pregnancy for women, and HIV and other STI’s (sexually transmitted illnesses) for both men and women, may be suggested. If you do not want to have evidence collected, medical care is available at YUHS Urgent Care.
• It is still possible to collect evidence at this time, so this may be something you still might want to do. Even if you are not sure about reporting the assault, it may make sense to preserve the option to pursue prosecution until you make a final decision.
• Victims are encouraged to have evidence collected immediately following a sexual assault. Evidence collection is done at the Yale New Haven Hospital Emergency Department. If you would like to have an evidence collection exam, evidence must be collected as soon as possible after the assault. Evidence will be held for 60 days while the victim decides whether or not to press charges, but it is not possible to collect evidence at a future date. Medical attention, emergency contraception, pregnancy testing, and testing for HIV and other STI’s (sexually transmitted illnesses) for both men and women are also provided in the Emergency Department.
• If you decide to have evidence collected, bring a change of clothing with you since your clothes may be needed for evidence.

• Contact the Yale Sexual Harassment & Assault Resource & Education Center at 203 432-6653 for guidance and support and help in getting connected with a counselor for ongoing treatment

or

• Contact the Mental Health & Counseling Center directly (203 432-0290) and make an appointment to see a counselor.
• Many survivors of sexual assault experience troubling emotions following the assault. Sometimes these emotions occur immediately after the assault and sometimes they occur later. Survivors often experience shock, anger, helplessness, self-blame, shame, problems with eating or sleeping, difficulty concentrating, mood swings, irritability, denial and/or fear.
• A professional counselor can help you sort through and understand your thoughts and feelings. YUHS Mental Health & Counseling Center offers free individual counseling and support groups to all Yale students.

• It is important to care for yourself after a sexual assault. Eat healthy foods and get exercise to help keep your strength up.
• Try to do the things you have always enjoyed.
• Don’t look for simple answers to explain what happened.
• Know your rights and how to get the help you need.
• Say positive things to yourself to help restore your sense of well being. Use phrases like “I’m strong,” “I did not deserve this,” “I am taking back my personal power,” “I am healing each and every day.”
• Be patient with yourself. It takes time to move on. Healing is physical, emotional and psychological.
• Believe in yourself and know that you will get through this.
• Seeking professional help enables you to express your thoughts and feelings in a neutral setting where you do not feel that you have to protect the listener or be concerned about how the other person is feeling.
• Some survivors find it helpful to tell a trusted friend.
• It is more important to focus on what you are feeling than on the actual details of the assault.
• It is not necessary to talk about the incident all at once. Take your time and do so in a way that you feel comfortable.
• If talking is difficult try drawing or writing things down.
• Some people find it useful to keep a journal, or to write stories or poems.
• Try not to let others make decisions for you.

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