Remember that you are not to blame.

• Get to a safe place. Call someone you know and trust that can provide trust and support.
• If you live on campus you can contact your RA, RC, or the Department of Public Saftey 215-951 2999. Information you share with them will be handled with great care and your privacy will be respected. You also have the option of contacting the local police (911).
• If you live off-campus, you can contact the Department of Public Saftey and/or the local police.
• Though it will go against your instincts, you should not shower or discard any clothes that you are wearing. If you seek immediate medical attention, wear your clothing there but bring a clean change of clothes to change into afterward.
• Get medical attention as soon as you can, preferably within 24-72 hours. This will address the possibility of any injuries, sexually transmitted infections, or pregnancy. Results of the exam may be useful if you decide to press charges.
• You may want to consider going to Philadelphia Sexual Assault Response Center (PSARC) located at 300 East Hunting Park Avenue, Philadelphia. This is a specialized center best equipped to provide the medical care you need in this situation. The 24-hour hotline number is 215-425-1625. You have time to decide about pressing charges. 
• Take time to think through what you want to do next. You are the best judge of what you need to do and what you are ready to do.

If you were attacked by another Thomas Jefferson University student, you have the option of filing a complaint which will be handled through the University’s Judicial System. For more information, please consult How to Report an Act of Sexual Violence (PDF) for options for reporting sexual violence to Thomas Jefferson University.

If you were attacked by someone who is not a Thomas Jefferson University student and you wish to press charges, you can contact Women Organized Against Rape (WOAR) or the local police department (911) for guidance.

Again, it is important to give yourself time to understand your options and to think things through before you take action.

Believe what you are told. Accept the description of the experience as it is described to you. Don’t second guess your friend’s behavior or their story. This is probably the most important thing you can do for them.

• Remind your friend that they are not responsible for the assault. Many survivors look for a cause and blame themselves for causing the assault. Let your friend know that no one deserves to be assaulted and that the attacker is always responsible for what happened.
• Encourage your friend to seek medical attention. Take time to explain in a calm and caring way why it is important to do that. If your friend is resisting that option, accept the decision. 
• Let your friend take control. You can best help by identifying options and possible outcomes but leaving the decision about what to do solely with your friend. Sexual assault is an experience in the loss of control. Pushing your friend to do something that they are not sure about furthers the feeling of loss of control.
• Provide emotional support. Just listening can be of great help to your friend. Follow your comforting instincts. Ask about what helps. Your friend has confided in your because they trust you and know that they can rely on you.
• Encourage your friend to get support from a professional counselor. Being sexually assaulted is an overwhelming experience. Each person responds to the event in their own unique way. Sometimes, the emotional impact is felt immediately, and sometimes it is delayed. If you feel that your friend is struggling emotionally you can suggest that they talk with a counselor. Counselors in Counseling Services are experienced in helping people deal with the trauma of sexual assault. 

People who have been sexually assaulted typically experience symptoms of emotional trauma. Each person’s responses to sexual assault will differ depending on individual circumstances, history of trauma, and typical coping style. The following are common emotional responses to sexual assault and trauma. You may experience all of them or some of them. Some may appear early on and some may surface months after the event. No matter what you feel it is important to remember that it is normal.

Shock or Numbness
Sometimes, after being sexually assaulted a person experiences a kind of detachment or numbness to the event. There may be a state of disbelief – a feeling that something very wrong happened but not feeling quite sure of how to make sense of it. 

Fear and Anxiety
A person who has been sexually assaulted may fear encountering their attacker and experience intense distress at reminders of the assault. There may be more generalized fears such as being afraid of being alone or just being afraid without apparent cause. Some people may become jumpy and find it hard to sit through class or interact with others. Some people may cope by appearing outwardly calm, yet underneath they are feeling very distressed.

Reliving the Memory of What Happened
A person who has been sexually assaulted often relives the event in some way – nightmares, flashbacks, or intrusive thoughts or feelings about the event.

Minimizing What Happened
People who have been sexually assaulted usually just want to forget what happened and avoid thinking about it. They may be reluctant to label the experience as assault or rape. Often people feel it is behind them initially but then begin to experience difficulty later.

Self-blame and Guilt
People who are sexually assaulted feel that they are to blame for what happened. Self-reproach about events leading up to the assault or believing that they did not do enough to prevent it is not uncommon. Remembering that they are not responsible for their attacker’s actions is an important part of the healing process.

Shame
People who have been sexually assaulted feel deeply ashamed. It is common to feel degraded or damaged and these feelings can have a negative impact on overall self-esteem. This shame contributes to feeling different from others and may cause the person to isolate themselves.

Anger
People who are sexually assaulted may feel angry. Anger may be directed toward the assailant, themselves, the assault itself, or the ways others reacted. Anger may also generalize to daily irritations in life that would ordinarily be considered minor.

Depression
People who have been sexually assaulted often develop depression. They may struggle with persistent low mood or sadness, sleep problems, eating problems, and difficulty concentrating.

CONFIDENTIAL

• Counseling Services - 323 Kanbar Campus Center, 251-951-2868
• Health Service - Scholler Hall, 215-951-2986

NON CONFIDENTIAL (however, privacy will be protected)

• Dean of Student Office/Title IX Coordinator - 321 Kanbar Campus Center, 215-951-2740
• Safety and Security - 215-951-2999
• Office of Residence Life -  311 Kanbar Campus Center, 215-951-2741

 

• Women Organized Against Rape (WOAR) - HOTLINE 215-985-3333
• Philadelphia Sexual Assault Response Center (PSARC) 215-425-1625
• Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape (PCAR) - HOTLINE 1-888-772-7227
• Women Against Abuse - HOTLINE 1-866-723-3014