Domestic Violence Help is Available:

Sexual assault and abuse is any type of sexual activity that you do not agree to, including inappropriate touching; vaginal, anal, or oral penetration; sexual intercourse; rape; attempted rape; and child molestation. It also can be verbal, visual, or any other form which forces a person to participate in unwanted sexual contact or attention like voyeurism, exhibitionism, incest, and sexual harassment. It can happen in different situations, by a stranger in an isolated place, on a date, or during domestic violence. Rape, a common form of sexual assault, is committed in many situations by a friend or an acquaintance. Sometimes a victim might unknowingly be given alcohol or "date rape" drugs, which make a person unable to resist assault and have a type of amnesia so s/he is uncertain about what happened.

Steps To Get Help For Sexual Assault

Take steps right away if you've been sexually assaulted:
• Get away from the attacker to a safe place as fast as you can.
  
• Call a friend or family member you trust. You also can call a crisis center or a hotline to talk with a counselor (see resources below). Feelings of shame, guilt, fear and shock are normal. It is important to get counseling from a trusted professional.
  
• Do not wash, comb, or clean any part of your body. Do not change clothes if possible, so the hospital staff can collect evidence. Do not touch or change anything at the scene of the assault.
  
• Then go to your nearest hospital emergency room as soon as possible. You need to be examined, treated for any injuries, and screened for possible sexually transmitted diseases or pregnancy. The doctor will use a rape kit to collect evidence such as fibers, hairs, saliva, semen, or clothing that the attacker may have left behind.
  
• You or the hospital staff can call the policy from the emergency room to file a report.
  
• Ask the hospital staff about possible support groups you can attend right away.

You can help someone who is abused or who has been assaulted by listening, believing, and offering comfort. Go with her/him to the police, the hospital, or to counseling. Reinforce the message that s/he is not at fault, and that it is natural to feel angry and ashamed.

Resources:

IF YOU ARE IN IMMEDIATE DANGER, CALL 911.

National Sexual Assault Hotline 800-656-Hope

National Sexual Violence Resource Center 877-739-3895 or 717-909-0710 www.nsvrc.org

WISE (Women's Information Service)

WISE Crisis Hotline
448-5525

Women's Information Service (WISE) offers free crisis services to survivors of domestic and sexual violence.

WISE is offering services in the Community Room at Anne's Place in Enfield, Wednesdays from 3:00 to 6:00pm. Please call 448-5922 for an appointment or drop by during these hours.

New Hampshire Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence is an umbrella organization for a statewide network of 14 independent member programs committed to ending domestic and sexual violence. http://www.nhcadsv.org

Sexual Violence 24-Hour Hotline: 1-800-277-5570

Domestic Violence 24-Hour Hotline: 1-866-644-3574