Print this page

Medical Treatment

Why do I need medical attention?
For three important reasons:

• to get treatment for any injuries, or find out if you've been injured (you may not know if you are in a state of shock)
• to get medical evidence, to be used if you decide to report the rape to police (you don't have to decide at this stage). Medical evidence to be used in court is called forensic evidence.
• to talk things over with the doctor - fears about sexually transmitted diseases, pregnancy or injuries, or anything else that's on your mind. This can be the first step towards feeling good about your body again.

Where do I get medical attention?
You can get medical treatment at NSW Health Sexual Assault Services, sexual health clinics, your own doctor's surgery, your local hospital, or your local Aboriginal Medical Service, if you're Aboriginal. They're free services and you can call the NSW Rape Crisis Centre to find out how to contact your nearest sexual assault service.

Getting there
If you go to the police, they'll take you to somewhere where you can get treatment. If you can't go to the police, or you don't want to, and you have no money or transport, ring the sexual assault service and ask if they can give you a taxi voucher. Many services are happy to do this. If you are under 16 the sexual assault service, medical service or hospital must notify the Department of Community Services about the assault. In NSW this is the law.

What happens at the sexual assault service?
You may be brought to the centre by the police, you may have come with a friend or family member or you may have come on your own. When you arrive, you'll be met by a sexual assault worker. Sexual assault service workers have special training, and they're sensitive about the things you may be feeling. The worker will listen to you, and she'll help you in any way she can. It's important after a sexual assault for you to be in control of any decisions, so the sexual assault worker will respect your decisions and your privacy.

Your rights
You can have someone with you during counselling or medical procedures. That's your right. You can ask any questions you like during the medical procedures, and refuse any part of the examination or treatment. That's your right as well. Sexual assault service doctors are also specially trained to help people who have been sexually assaulted. They may be men or women. You have a right to ask for a woman doctor, but you may have to wait until one is available.

You may feel unsure about whether or not to report the assault to the police. Our factsheet on 'Reporting to Police' may be helpful to you. Many women choose not to report, and have a simple medical examination to make sure they haven't been injured. Some women don't report a sexual assault straight away, but decide to report it later. You have the right to decide whether or not to report a sexual assault to the police. If you are unsure, you can discuss this with the sexual assault worker.

Agreeing to a forensic examination
You can agree to a forensic examination, where the doctor gathers evidence that could be used in court. You are not committing yourself to reporting the assault by doing this. This evidence should be collected as soon as possible after an assault, ideally within 72 hours. Forensic evidence has been found up to seven days after an assault, but it's not common. You can ask the sexual assault worker to hold the forensic evidence for you. It must be held for at least 48 hours anyway, and can be held longer if you want. You can decide later whether or not to report to the police.

The medical protocol
In NSW there is a sexual assault medical protocol that lays down guidelines for the medical examination and treatment. Doctors have to follow the protocol procedures. They're designed to make the examination as easy for you as possible, but they're also intended to ensure that all necessary forensic evidence is collected if you decide to go ahead with a forensic examination. The doctor fills in details about what happened in the assault, any medical evidence they find, and injuries.

The medical examination
The sexual assault worker will explain what's involved in the medical examination and treatment. You'll be given all the information you need to help you decide about going ahead. If you have a forensic examination you'll be asked for your name and age and other details. You may also be asked questions about the assault, such as Where did it happen? When? Was physical force used? You'll also be asked what sexual acts occurred. These questions are to help the doctor work out what kind of examination should be done. The examination will focus on your concerns. You will be asked if there is pain or discomfort, and there will be a physical examination. If you consent, photographs may be taken of torn clothing and injuries. Some bruises may not show up for several weeks. If bruises appear later, call the police handling the case for more photos to be taken.

Common feelings
You may feel embarrassed about answering the doctor's questions, or you may not really understand what the doctor means. It is all right to feel uncomfortable. Let the sexual assault worker and the doctor know how you feel, and ask them as many questions as you need to. You are not expected to know all the medical terms, so don't be afraid to ask for explanations. If some of the questions are too hard to answer you don't have to answer them.

Clothing
The clothes you had on when you were assaulted may be kept as evidence-your underpants in particular. They will be sealed in a bag that goes into an envelope called the sexual assault investigation kit, to be given to police if you decide to report the assault. The service should have clothing and underwear to give you. If you prefer, you can bring clean clothes of your own to the service, or have a friend bring some in. If you can't get to the sexual assault centre straight away, you can still keep your unwashed clothes in a clean paper bag to be examined later for evidence.

The physical examination
The physical examination usually involves only an external inspection of the areas of your body affected by the assault. Internal examinations are uncommon. The doctor will look for bruises, cuts, marks and blood on your body and on the outside of your genital area. Samples are taken from places that may have been in contact with semen or saliva (such as your mouth if there was oral sex, or the vaginal area), using a cotton bud on a long stick. Forensic samples can include semen, blood, hair and other substances. The doctor records the evidence in the sexual assault protocol, which can only be given to the police if you choose to report the crime.

A couple of things you may be worried about ...

Pregnancy
You may need to discuss the possibility of pregnancy with the doctor. The doctor can give you pills for emergency contraception if necessary ('the morning after pill'). They should be taken as soon as possible, but they work for up to three days after sex. The pills often make people sick, so you may be given a different pill to help with nausea. If you do get pregnant after an assault, you may want to discuss your options with your counsellor or a doctor. Phone numbers for organisations that can help with advice or termination of pregnancy are available from NSW Rape Crisis Centre.

Sexually transmitted infections (STI's)
STI's generally don't show up in tests for at least three days. The chances of getting an infection from a sexual assault are fairly low, but you should have tests at regular intervals to make sure. It is very, very rare for a woman to get HIV/AIDS through a sexual assault. More tests are done after three months for syphilis, hepatitis B and HIV infection (AIDS). It takes from one to three months to tell if someone is infected with HIV.

Give yourself permission to take care of your needs,
ask questions, and express your feelings, especially to
those trained professionals who are ready to help.