Get Help
The rape crisis and sexual assault centers around Ohio provide all or some of the following services for victims of rape and child sexual abuse and their families:
- 24 hour crisis hotline
- 24-hour medical accompaniment
- Accompaniment to police interviews
- Legal advocacy
- Courtroom accompaniment
- Professional counseling for survivors, family, and friends
- Support group for rape survivors
- Referrals to counseling and other services
- Self-defense classes
- Community education and prevention programs
To find the Rape Crisis Center nearest you, visit our local resource listing here.
Sexual Assault Victims: What to Do
- Find a safe environment — anywhere away from the attacker. Ask a trusted friend to stay with you for moral support.
- Report the attack to police by calling 911. A counselor on a local crisis hotline can help you understand the process.
- Preserve evidence of the attack - don't bathe or brush your teeth.
- Write down all the details you can recall about the attack & the attacker.
- Ask the hospital to conduct a rape kit exam to preserve forensic evidence.
- If you suspect you were drugged, ask that a urine sample be collected. The sample will need to be analyzed later on by a forensic lab.
- If you know that you will never report, still consider:
- Get medical attention. Even with no physical injuries, it is important to determine the risks of STDs and pregnancy.
- Call a local crisis hotline for free, confidential counseling.
- Recognize that healing from rape takes time. Give yourself the time you need.
To find the Rape Crisis Center nearest you, check out our map or listing by county.
Family & Friends: What to Do
There are many ways that you can help a friend or family member who has been raped or sexually assaulted:
- Listen. Be there. Don’t be judgmental.
- Be patient. Remember, it will take your loved one some time to deal with the crime.
- Help to empower your loved one. Rape and sexual assault are crimes that take away an individual’s power, it is important not to compound this experience by putting pressure on your loved one to do things that he or she is not ready to do yet.
- If you are dealing with an issue involving your child, create a safe place by talking directly to them.
- If you are the non-abusing parent in a case of incest, it is important to support your child and help them through this situation without blaming them. This is also true if you are not a parent but still an observer of incest
- If your loved one is considering suicide, follow-up with them on a regular basis.
- Encourage your loved one to report the rape or sexual assault to law enforcement (call 911 in most areas). If your loved one has questions about the criminal justice process, talking with someone on a local crisis hotline can help.
- Let your loved one know that professional help is available through the OAESV or local crisis centers.
- If your loved one is willing to seek medical attention or report the assault, offer to accompany him or her wherever s/he needs to go (hospital, police station, campus security, etc.)
- Encourage him or her to contact one of the hotlines, but realize that only your loved one can make the decision to get help.
It is also important to note that having a friend or family member who is raped or assaulted can be a very upsetting experience. For this reason it is also important that you take care of yourself. Even if your friend and family member isn’t ready to talk to a hotline specialist, you can get support for yourself. You can also get ideas about ways to help your friend or family member through the recovery process.