Tips for Victim/Survivors

If you have been the victim/survivor of violence, you may be feeling a wide variety of emotions. Anger, guilt, shame, numbness, and helplessness are common feelings. There is no “right” or “normal” way to feel. You have experienced a traumatic event and your body and your brain are working to protect you. Everyone’s reaction can be different and that’s okay.

If you are coming into the hospital for an exam, try to follow these guidelines to prevent the loss of potential evidence:

• Don’t eat or drink if there was oral contact during the assault
• Don’t take a bath or shower. But if you already have, it’s okay, evidence can still be collected
• Bring in the clothing you had on at the time of the assault and/or immediately after the assault

You are welcome to bring a support person to your exam (please see the COVID-19 restrictions section above for guidelines). After you leave the hospital, you may feel overwhelmed or have questions. Our team can be reached at 612-873-5832, select option 2.

View our advocates for victims and survivors of violence video.