Help is available
Our crisisline is (719) 633-3819
For immediate assistance, call 911.
There is no need to suffer alone if you have been assaulted--one if four American women will go through many of the same things you may be experiencing. Please talk to someone you trust.
Surviving a Sexual Assault
As a survivor of sexual assault, it is natural to feel confused, frightened, embarrassed, powerless and angry. You may be left with physical and emotional wounds that need time to heal. Every survivor deals with an assault experience differently. Reading the following information may help begin the process of regaining a sense of healing and control in your life. Victim Advocates are on-call 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to respond to adult victims of sexual assault at Memorial Hospital in Colorado Springs. Advocates assess the safety and resource needs of each victim according to the victim's wishes both before and after the assault, should the victim opt to work with our organization after presenting at the hospital. According to client needs and desires, advocates provide information, referrals, and support.
As with all of TESSA's services for victims of sexual assault and domestic violence, this service is confidential. This service can be provided at the hospital, TESSA's main office, or over the phone. Monday through Thursday from 7:30 am to 4:30 pm and Friday from 7:30 am to 12:00 pm, advocates can be reached at our main office number: (719) 633-1462. After business hours, advocates can be reached at (719) 633-3819. If you are presenting at Memorial Hospital, there is no need to call an advocate as one will be called.
TESSA's Counseling for sexual assault survivors
The Counseling Program offers group and individual psychotherapy to people struggling with sexual assault. TESSA's counselors are specifically trained and certified to treat the psychological problems resulting from sexual assault. In the meantime, please call our main office at (719) 633-1462 to inquire about these services.
Frequently asked questions
What is sexual assault?
Sexual assault is any unwanted sexual contact. Forms of sexual assault include rape and attempted rape by an acquaintance, boyfriend/girlfriend, spouse or stranger; child sexual abuse, molestation, and incest; sexual harassment at work, school, or on the streets; and obscene phone calls. All forms of sexual assault are violating and traumatic.
Why did this happen to me?
When an assault occurs, it is natural to wonder why. Many survivors question whether they could have prevented the assault. Any person can be sexually assaulted, regardless of age, race, sex, class, sexual orientation, ability, looks, education, or employment. Nothing you did or did not do provoked or justifies the assault. Sexual assault is an act of aggression designed to dominate and humiliate in order to gain power and control over someone else. No one deserves to be assaulted.
Do I have to report to law enforcement?
No. As a victim of a crime, you have the right to choose whether or not to report to law enforcement. No one can make that choice for you.
Even if you are contacted by law enforcement, you can choose to give a statement or choose not to give a statement – it’s your call.
I don’t know if anything happened. I can’t remember. What should I do?
How do you feel? Are you experiencing any pain or discomfort? Even if you cannot remember anything happening, your body may be injured. If you are worried at all that something could have happened to you, you may want to seek medical treatment and have a nurse examine you for injuries. Seeking medical treatment may help you feel more at ease.
If you are worried about the possibility of date rape drugs, such as Roofies, you may want to seek medical treatment for a blood or urine test. Just because you can’t remember now doesn’t mean you will never remember. It is very common with date rape drugs to regain your memory days or even months in the future.
If I report this, does that mean that the other person will go to jail?
Just because a person reports a crime does not mean that the officer will be able to make an arrest. Only a law enforcement officer can make that decision.
To make an arrest for a crime, law enforcement must have what they call “probable cause,” which is evidence that causes the officer to believe that a crime has been committed and that a particular person or persons committed the crime. The officer must determine what he or she needs for an arrest. Sometimes, it is a victim’s statement as well as evidence collected from the scene, the body, or even witness statements.
What if the other person finds out I reported?
There are things you can do to protect yourself. TESSA has many services to help address your safety concerns. Confidential Victim Advocates are available to assist you with Civil Protection Order paperwork and accompany you to court. TESSA also has a Safe House and 24-hour Crisis Line. For more information about TESSA services, call 719-633-1462/ Crisis Line 719-633-3819.
Do I have to get the “rape kit” (Forensic Medical Examination)?
You have a right to choose what medical treatment you seek for yourself. You do not have to receive the forensic examination, but you may want to for your own wellbeing or to collect evidence that may be helpful in the prosecution of the case. The exam is done by a Forensic Nurse Examiner who is specifically trained in evidence collection and examination procedures. Before the exam, the nurse will sit with you and explain the process, and if before or during the exam you are uncomfortable with any part of it, you can choose not to do any part or the entire exam – it’s your choice. If you have any questions before, during, or after the process, you can always ask the nurse.
Will I have to pay for medical treatment? How much does it cost?
Some hospital costs are covered and some are not. If you choose to report to law enforcement, the law enforcement agency is responsible for covering the costs of the exam. Any other treatment you receive (for example any antibodies for STDs or Plan B) are your responsibility. If you report to law enforcement, the Victim Compensation Program through the State of Colorado may pay medical costs not covered by law enforcement. TESSA Advocates can assist you with the application for Victim Compensation.If you choose not to report to law enforcement, the State of Colorado’s Division of Criminal Justice (DCJ) is responsible for paying the cost of the forensic exam. This change was made in June 2008 as a result of House Bill 08-1217. Again, any other treatment you receive (for example any antibodies for STDs or Plan B) are your responsibility. The hospital should bill the Division of Criminal Justice directly for the cost of the exam, and you are responsible for any additional costs incurred.
How confidential is my information?
If you choose to receive services at a medical facility, please be advised that doctors, nurses, and medical staff do not have confidentiality. Under Colorado Revised Statute 12-36-135, any medical licensee is mandated to report any injury that the licensee has reason to believe involves a criminal act, including injuries resulting from domestic violence or sexual assault, to the police. This means that hospital personnel are required to contact law enforcement with your name and information, even if you choose not to give a statement to law enforcement. Also, when a licensee performs a forensic medical examination that includes the collection of evidence at the request of a victim of sexual assault, the facility must contact the law enforcement agency in whose jurisdiction the crime occurred regarding preservation of the evidence. If the medical facility does not know where the crime occurred, the facility must contact its local law enforcement agency regarding preservation of the evidence.
If law enforcement receives your examination evidence but you do not wish to report the crime, the evidence will be stored until further action is taken, for example if you decide in the future to report the crime, or the statute of limitations has expired and the evidence is scheduled for destruction.
How can the healing begin?
You may want to talk about it. You may feel too upset to talk about your experience right away or you may be uncertain of how others will respond. It is important to share your feelings with someone who will be non-judgmental and supportive of your needs.
Do whatever you need to do to be safe. If the assault happened in your home, you may not feel safe living there. It can be helpful to stay with a friend or a relative for a while or you may prefer to have someone stay with you. If needed, TESSA offers Safehousing. Contact the crisis line at 719.633.3819 for more information.
Be gentle with yourself. Try not to expect too much from yourself. Telling yourself “I should be over this by now” may not always be helpful. Acknowledging and expressing your feelings may assist in your healing. Everyone has his/her own pace of healing. This is a time to take special care of yourself. You have a right to regain control in your life.
Should I see a counselor?
You may, at some point, decide to work with a therapist or counselor to help deal with what has happened to you. Seeking professional help does not mean you are broken or that something is wrong with you. It’s simply one step you can take to work through the trauma that occurs as a natural result of being victimized. TESSA’s counselors and therapists have experience in working with victims of intimate partner and sexual abuse. If you have applied for Victim’s Compensation, those costs may be covered. If you haven’t applied for Victim’s compensation yet, you can see an Advocate at TESSA during Walk-In hours. The Advocate can help you complete the application and answer any questions you may have about the process.
For more information about individual or group counseling, you can call the TESSA Main Office at 719-633-1462 during business hours.
