What to Do if You Have Been Assaulted

A List of Options if You Have Been Assaulted

There is not one “right” way to be after experiencing sexual harassment, sexual assault, relationship violence or stalking. The first step is to find a safe space where you feel that you can reach out for help. The next step is to find the kind of help you are looking for. There are emergency options, or it may be helpful to explore your options with a confidential advocate.

Second, collect medical and other evidence.

Whether or not an incident of sexual assault, harassment or misconduct is reported to the police or the university you attend, the University of Maine System strongly encourages those who have experienced sexual assault to preserve evidence as much as possible. Preserving evidence is the most impactful way to seek legal options in the future.

How to collect evidence:

There are three steps to collecting medical and physical evidence:

1. Preserve – Do not bathe, douche, change clothes, comb hair or remove anything from the area in which the assault took place (bed sheets, rugs, etc.). This helps preserve evidence if you choose to prosecute.
2. Go to the hospital to collect evidence – You can go directly to the hospital that is closest to you (External Site) and go to the Emergency Department to collect medical evidence. As you are checking in, tell the intake specialist or nurse that you need to be seen for a sexual assault. Keep in mind, going to the hospital to collect evidence does not mean that you have to file a police report. You will be cared for by a specialized nurse Sexual Assault Forensic Examiner (External Site), a medical professional who has been specially trained to perform evidence collection. The examiner will ask you if you would like to report the assault to the police. You may choose to report or not to report—what happens next is entirely up to you. This examination is complex and takes three to four hours on average. The evidence can be collected anonymously while you take time to decide what the next step is for your own recovery.The state of Maine is able to pay for your medical bills up to $750 (External Site) through The Victim’s Compensation Program (External Site), which includes medical, dental, counseling and more.You are entitled to have an advocate at no cost to you throughout the medical exam, and your advocate can help walk you through your next steps should you choose to take them. Reach out to an advocate via phone call or text: 1-800-871-7741 and someone from the Maine Coalition Against Sexual Assault (External Site) will be ready to meet you at the hospital at any time. The hospital can also call for you when you get there.
3. Make a record – Writing down, recording audio of or making a video of yourself telling the story of everything that you remember can be used as evidence. Whether you record it yourself or ask a friend to write it down as you recall the incident to them, it can be helpful to include the following information: the physical description and/or name of the perpetrator, specifics about what threats or use of force were used, the time and date of the assault, the location of the assault and any witnesses or others who saw you before or after the assault. Keep this account in a safe place and put a date on your notes. It can be helpful to take a picture of your notes or email them to yourself on your personal email account to keep a date and timestamp to record when the notes were taken; make sure that your email account is secure and that no one else has your password or access to the account.

Why is it so important to collect evidence?

Even if you do not know if you want to press charges at this time, collecting medical, physical and recorded evidence can be crucial for prosecuting a rape or sexual assault. In the state of Maine you have several years to file a report (External Site), but medical evidence is best collected within 72 hours of the incident and having medical evidence may strengthen your case. If you believe you may have been drugged you should seek medical attention as soon as possible because the drug may leave your system more quickly than 72 hours.

Fourth, understand the Title IX reporting process and decide if you would like to file a report.

The University of Maine System strongly encourages anyone who has experienced sex discrimination, sexual harassment, retaliation, sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence or stalking to report the incident to the appropriate Deputy/Title IX contact at their university, or at the University of Maine System. A report can be made under at any time this policy, regardless of when the incident happened. Reporting the incident to the University does not mean that you have to file a formal complaint or file a police report. Reporting the incident, however, will allow the University to provide individuals involved with information about available support and services, both on campus and off campus.

The University will provide a prompt, fair and impartial investigation and resolution of the complaint.

Visit the complaint form (External Site) to make a Title IX complaint.