WHAT TO DO,  If you or somebody you know has been sexually assaulted.
 
STEP 1 CONTACT US - 24 HOUR TOLL FREE HOTLINE
"GO TO A SAFE PLACE"   GUIDELINES  -  CLICK HERE
ILLINOIS JO DAVIESS COUNTY 888-707-8155
CARROLL COUNTY 877-273-7772
IOWA DUBUQUE COUNTY 888-557-0310
BUCHANAN COUNTY 888-707-8155
DELAWARE COUNTY 888-707-8155
Advocates are available 24 hours a day to provide crisis intervention (either by phone or at the hospital) to all survivors and significant others of sexual abuse/assault. We provide crisis counseling, emotional support, and information and referrals.
 
STEP 2 UTILIZE OUR FREE SERVICES
Work with our advocates to determine how we can help.
Medical Advocacy
Advocates are available 24-hours a day to respond to all area hospitals. All survivors of sexual abuse/assault have the right to have an advocate present to give emotional support, provide clothing, offer information regarding the Sexual Assault Examination Kit procedures, and discuss options regarding STD testing/treatment and pregnancy testing. Advocates also provide follow-up information and referrals. The advocate acts as a liaison between the survivor, law enforcement, and emergency room personnel. Advocates concentrate on the best interest of the survivor and are not there to ask questions, but to listen.
 
Legal Advocacy
The legal advocate serves as a liaison between the survivor and the criminal justice system. The advocate may accompany the victim to a police interview, maintain contact with the investigator to inform the survivor of the status of the case, and attend all meetings and court proceedings with or on behalf of the survivor and significant others throughout the criminal justice process and help to ensure that the survivor's rights are protected.
Counseling/Therapy
Short and long-term therapy services are offered to survivors and significant other's. All Therapists have Master's Level education and training specific to sexual abuse/assault. We have therapists specializing in child, adolescent, and adult therapy. We see clients ages 4 and up. The goal of therapy is to work with the survivor through a client centered approach to reduce the effects of the trauma, learn healthy skills, and reduce the potential for re-victimization. Groups for children, adolescent, adults, and significant others are provided throughout the year.
Prevention Education/Professional Training
This service brings accurate information about sexual abuse/assault and sexual harassment to community groups, educational institutions, professionals, law  enforcement, social service personnel, prosecuting attorney's office, and medical personnel. The goals range from providing greater awareness of the dynamics of sexual abuse/assault to providing more specific training and skills on intervention and response to survivors.
Volunteer Training/Supervision
Riverview Center, Inc. provides recruitment, training, and supervision to volunteers who provide 24-hour crisis intervention to survivors of sexual assault/abuse. Volunteers go through a screening process, comprehensive 40-hour training, on-going supervision, and in-service meetings.
 

     Go To a Safe Place Guidelines                                                                              ^UP
  • Go to a safe place.
     
  • Preserve all physical evidence of the assault. Do not shower, bathe, douche, eat, drink, wash your hands, or brush your teeth until after you have had a medical examination. Save all of the clothing you were wearing at the time of the assault. Place each item of clothing in a separate paper bag. Do not use plastic bags. Do not clean or disturb anything in the area where the assault occurred.
     
  • Get medical care as soon as possible. Go to a hospital emergency department or a specialized forensic clinic that provides treatment for sexual assault victims. Collection of evidence is best done within 72 hours of an assault. Testing can be done by a SANE (Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner).

    Even if you think that you do not have any physical injuries, you should still have a medical exam and discuss with a health care provider the risk of exposure to sexually transmitted infections and the possibility of pregnancy resulting from the sexual assault.  If you suspect that you may have been given a rape drug, ask the hospital or clinic where you receive medical care to take a urine sample. Drugs, such as Rohypnol and GHB, are more likely to be detected in urine than in blood.
     
  • Contact a friend, family member or someone else you trust who can be with you and give you support.
     
  • Write down as much as you can remember about the circumstances of the assault, including a description of the assailant.
     
  • Get information whenever you have questions or concerns. After a sexual assault, you have a lot of choices and decisions to make - e.g., about getting medical care, making a police report, and telling other people. You may have concerns about the impact of the assault and the reactions of friends and family members. Talk with a counselor who is trained to assist rape victims. Counseling can help you learn how to cope with the emotional and physical impacts of the assault.
 
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