King County Sexual Assault Resource Center: Crisis Information

If you've just been raped...

Our first concern is for your physical and emotional well being. Get yourself to a “safe” place where you will not feel in further danger. Everyone handles personal crisis differently. A rape threatens a person’s physical as well as emotional safety. Sexual assault is a personal attack like no other. When someone is raped, the first instinct is to bathe/shower to wash away all memories of the rape. It is best for the sake of evidence collecting to avoid bathing until after a forensic medical exam at your local hospital emergency room.

If you reside in the King County area, Harborview Medical Center in Seattle is equipped to provide you with this exam. There is no cost to you for this initial emergency exam. The hospital will bill Crime Victims Compensation directly for the cost of the exam. If you have already bathed, rest easy. You can still report to the police if you choose to and there may be evidence in your clothes that can be preserved.

For adults, reporting to the police is an individual choice. You can go to the hospital emergency room within 72 hours of the assault to be checked out physically without reporting to the police. The most important thing is to get some assurance from a doctor that you are physically well. If you have further questions, do not hesitate to call our 24-hour Resource Line and speak to an advocate counselor. They can talk you through what you can expect from a medical exam or the initial police report. The advocate can also connect you with our follow up services which can include counseling or legal advocacy.

(See information about Emergency Contraception below.)

emergency contraception for sexual assault victims...

Emergency contraception pills (ECPs) are a safe and effective way to prevent pregnancy if used within 72 hours of unprotected intercourse, contraceptive failure or sexual assault. Like birth control pills, ECPs help prevent pregnancy by preventing ovulation. They are NOT an abortion pill. They do not cause an abortion nor do they harm an existing pregnancy. You can take Emergency Contraception to prevent a pregnancy resulting from an assault.

ECPs are available at selected pharmacies in Washington without a prescription and are available at clinics or doctors' offices. ECPs are also available at Public Health Clinics, DSHS Offices and online. You can call 1-888-NOT-2-LATE (English) or 1-866-EN-TRES-DIAS (Espanol) to find a pharmacy, provider, or online provider near you. You can also click on this link to find a provider in your area. Victims of sexual assault can also received Emergency Contraception through hospital emergency rooms throughout Washington.

Emergency Contraception is covered by medical coupons and the Take Charge program, and can be purchased at local pharmacies. Call the pharmacy first to make sure the pharmacist who is working knows that they can prescribe EC without a prescription and that it is covered by medical coupons. Without coupons, the cost of EC ranges from $25-55 at a pharmacy. EC is always free at Public Health clinics. Find a clinic near you.

You can also contact the Washington State Department of Health for more information.

date rape drugs:

Substance-related rape is occurring more frequently. The most common "date rape" drugs are:
Ketamine Hydrochloride (aka special k, super k, vitamin k, kid rock, ket kat, lady k)
Rohypnol (aka roofies, roachies, ra roche, rophies, ruffies, roofenol)
GHB (gamma-hydroxybutrate; aka goop, liquid ecstasy, liquid x, somatomax, scoop, greivous bodily harm).

These drugs are illegal substances that alter your motor skills and judgment, and which make you unable to resist assault. Taken with alcohol, Rohypnol can result in blackouts and memory loss. These drugs are often colorless, tasteless and hard to detect. They can take effect in as little as 10 minutes, and can cause the following reactions:

Drowsiness	Nausea	Amnesia	Mental Confusion	Hot & cold flashes
Stomach problems	Slurred speech	Blurred vision	Respiratory problems	Impaired judgment
Dizziness	Feeling very drunk, despite little or no alcohol consumption			Inability to speak clearly

How do you know if you were drugged?
If your memory was affected, it can be difficult but not impossible. The only way to know for sure is to have a medical test.

If you suspect that you were given a drug, you need to go to the hospital emergency room immediately and request a test for date rape drugs. These drugs pass through the system very quickly (usually 24 to 72 hours) so it is important to get tested as soon as possible. If possible, try to keep a sample of the beverage for analysis

If you suspect that you were raped under the influence of a rape drug, go to the hospital emergency room and request a rape examination and testing for rape drugs. The rape exam will check for possible sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) and pregnancy, as well as other potential infections. If you want to report the incident to the police, don't shower, bathe, douche, change clothes until after the exam, and don't clean up the area until evidence has been collected by the police.

Possible signs that you were drugged:

If you wake up with a memory lapse but had little or no alcohol to drink

If you have an intense hang-over but had little or no alcohol to drink

If you find signs of sexual activity but don't remember having sex* (signs of sexual contact may include soreness, bruises, scratches, traces of semen or vaginal fluids, used condoms)

If your friends or others are talking about how drunk you were, even though you had little or no alcohol to drink

If you had strangely realistic dreams/hallucinations or fleeting memories of feeling or acting intoxicated

If you have no clear memory of the last 8 to 24 hours, with no known reason for your memory loss

*NOTE: According to the law, if you don't remember having sex or giving consent for sex, you have been raped, whether or not a rape drug was used.

How to reduce the risk of becoming a victim:

Don't take any beverages, including alcohol, from someone you do not know well and trust.

At parties or clubs, do not accept open-container drinks from anyone.

Don't trust your drink with anyone & don't leave beverages unattended.

At a bar or club, accept drinks only from the bartender or server.

Always go with a friend and promise to watch out for one another.

If you feel strangely dizzy and/or confused, get help from your friend immediately.

If someone appears disproportionately drunk in relation to the amount of alcohol they have consumed, they may be in danger. Get help immediately by taking the person to the hospital emergency room or calling 911 for an ambulance.

Strategize & plan with your friends about ways to look out for each other at parties and social events.