Teens What to expect during an exam for suspected sexual assault (1260)

What is sexual assault?

Sexual assault is sexual contact when you did not want it to happen. It might have been:

• Touching private parts
• Kissing, licking, or biting
• Having sex of any kind, including vaginal, oral, or anal
• Being forced or threatened
• Being unconscious or physically unable to say no or resist
• By a person who has power or control over you in some way. They might be older, stronger, or someone you thought you felt safe with before.
• Being given or promised money, drugs, or anything you need in exchange for sexual things. This is called sex trafficking.

Most of the time, the abuser is someone you know. By law, doctors and nurses must report it to the police when it happens. It is a crime.

Why do I need a medical exam?

It is important for your health that you get checked. Sexual assault can cause injuries or other medical problems. It could cause pregnancy or sexually transmitted infections (STIs) like gonorrhea, chlamydia, HIV, hepatitis B, syphilis, herpes, and others. You may not know you have one unless you get tested.

Sometimes the injuries heal so well that they can no longer be seen. Because of this, the exam is often normal. This does not mean that the assault did not occur. The exam is not done to prove or disprove what you say happened. Sometimes, exam findings are used as evidence in court.

How long do I have to get an exam?

It is easier to find an injury if the exam is done soon after the assault. You should have an exam within 3 days if possible. If you come in early, you can be given:

• Medicines to prevent STIs. You need to be seen within 3 days (72 hours) of the assault.
• Medicine to reduce the risk of pregnancy. You need to be seen within 5 days (120 hours) of the assault. These medicines work best if you come in within 3 days.

It is easier to find evidence if you have not showered, brushed your teeth, gone to the bathroom, or changed clothes since the assault. If you come in early:

• Evidence can be collected from your body. You need to be seen within 5 days (120 hours) of the assault.

How is the exam done?

The medical exam is done in a very respectful way. The health care provider will not do any part of the exam that you do not want done. Talk with the health care provider if you would like someone such as an advocate to be in the room with you.

• Questions about your health will be asked.
• A head-to-toe check-up will be done, including a complete check of the genital (outer private parts) and anal areas. A special microscope called a colposcope is used to make the area being checked easier to see. It does not touch you or cause pain.
• Girls who have not yet had a period will not need an exam inside the vagina. Even girls who have started their periods may not need an internal exam. The exam is always done in the most comfortable way for you.
• The exam is often videotaped to document any injuries. It is kept very secure. It will not be released unless a judge orders it.
• Urine or blood tests may be done to check for infections. Swabs also may be done by gently wiping the genitals, anus, or throat.
• Evidence is collected this way as well. Sometimes your clothes may be needed too, in which case you will be given something else to wear.

What happens after the exam?

• After the exam, the health care provider will:
  • Talk to you about the exam
  • Tell you if there are any medical problems
  • Enter information in your medical chart. The police officer or social worker working on your case will have access to the medical report. Your doctor will also have access to the medical report.
• Results from lab tests will be available in about one week. A health care provider will contact you if any result is abnormal.

Who can I talk to if I have questions or want an exam later?

• Your regular doctor. They can help you find a place such as a Child Advocacy Center for a sexual assault exam.
• The Emergency Room. You can come in and ask for an exam.
• A counselor or therapist. They work with people who have been assaulted.

Other resources:

• RAINN National Network: http://www.rainn.org
• Milwaukee Commission on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault: http://city.milwaukee.gov/ImageLibrary/Groups/healthAuthors/MCDVSA/YANABrochure-English.pdf