After a sexual assault occurs, it is important to seek medical care, not just for any legal proceedings – but for your health! An advocate is available to meet, support, and accompany a victim/survivor through this process.
Compassionate Support During Medical Care After Sexual Violence
Seeking medical care after experiencing sexual violence can feel overwhelming, emotional, and frightening. Survivors are often faced with difficult decisions while coping with trauma, fear, confusion, or shock.
Our Hospital Advocacy Program provides trauma-informed emotional support, information, and advocacy for survivors seeking medical attention after sexual assault or abuse. We are committed to helping survivors feel supported, informed, and empowered throughout the medical process.
Whether a survivor is seeking emergency medical care, a forensic exam, treatment for injuries, or simply information about available options, our advocates are here to provide compassionate support every step of the way.
We believe every survivor deserves to be treated with dignity, respect, safety, and care.
“I did what my conscience told me to do, and you can’t fail if you do that.”
—Anita Hill
What Is Hospital Advocacy?
Hospital advocacy provides emotional support and guidance to survivors receiving medical care after sexual violence.
Medical settings can sometimes feel intimidating or retraumatizing for survivors. Advocates help provide comfort, information, and support while helping survivors better understand their options and rights during the medical process.
Our advocates are not medical professionals and do not provide medical advice. However, they can help survivors:
- understand available medical options
- receive emotional support during exams or treatment
- learn about forensic evidence collection
- access crisis support services
- communicate questions or concerns
- connect with additional resources and follow-up care
Hospital advocacy services are survivor-centered, confidential whenever legally possible, and always focused on supporting the survivor’s choices.
Our Hospital Advocacy Services
Emotional Support During Medical Care
Medical visits after trauma can be emotionally exhausting. Advocates provide compassionate support designed to help survivors feel less alone during difficult moments.
Support may include:
- Crisis intervention
- Emotional support during hospital visits
- Trauma-informed reassurance and grounding support
- Assistance reducing fear and confusion
- Support for family members or loved ones when appropriate
Support During Sexual Assault Forensic Exams (SAFE/SANE Exams)
Some survivors may choose to receive a Sexual Assault Forensic Exam, sometimes called a SAFE or SANE exam. These exams are performed by specially trained medical professionals and may include evidence collection, medical assessment, and treatment options.
Advocates can help survivors:
- understand what to expect during the exam
- ask questions and understand available choices
- receive emotional support during the process
- understand consent throughout the examination
- access follow-up resources and care
Choosing to receive a forensic exam does not always require a survivor to report to law enforcement.
Information About Medical Options
After sexual violence, survivors may have questions about healthcare, treatment, medications, injuries, or available services.
Advocates can help provide general information and support regarding:
- Emergency medical care
- Forensic examination options
- STI testing and prevention resources
- Pregnancy prevention options
- Follow-up healthcare referrals
- Mental health and counseling services
Medical decisions always remain the survivor’s choice.
Survivor Rights & Informed Consent Support
Survivors have the right to make informed decisions about their own bodies and medical care.
Advocates help support survivors in understanding:
- Consent during medical procedures
- Privacy and confidentiality rights
- The ability to pause or stop procedures
- Options available during care
- Available support resources
We believe survivors deserve to feel informed, respected, and in control throughout every stage of medical care.
Coordination & Resource Referrals
Healing often continues long after a hospital visit ends. We help connect survivors with ongoing services and community support resources nationwide.
Referrals may include:
- Trauma therapy and counseling
- Legal advocacy services
- Shelter and housing resources
- Crisis support services
- Support groups
- Victim assistance programs
- Disability support services
- Culturally specific services
- LGBTQ+ affirming resources
Trauma-Informed & Survivor-Centered Care
Our hospital advocacy approach is rooted in compassion, empowerment, and respect for survivor autonomy.
We understand that trauma affects everyone differently. Survivors deserve care that prioritizes emotional safety, personal choice, and dignity.
This means:
- Survivors decide what services they want
- Survivors can ask questions at any time
- Survivors have the right to decline any part of care
- Support is provided without judgment or pressure
- Every survivor’s experience is treated with compassion and respect
There is no “correct” way to respond after trauma. Every survivor deserves support that honors their individual needs and choices.
Support for All Survivors
We support survivors of all:
- genders
- identities
- sexual orientations
- races and ethnicities
- cultures and religions
- ages
- abilities and disabilities
- backgrounds and experiences
Sexual violence impacts people from every community, and every survivor deserves access to safe, inclusive, and compassionate care.
We also recognize that many survivors face additional barriers when seeking medical support, including fear, discrimination, financial concerns, disability access barriers, immigration concerns, language barriers, or past negative experiences with healthcare systems. Our goal is to help reduce those barriers and provide supportive, accessible advocacy services whenever possible.
You Have Options
After sexual violence, survivors may feel pressure to make immediate decisions. It is important to know that survivors have choices.
Seeking medical care does not automatically require a survivor to:
- report to law enforcement
- participate in an investigation
- complete a forensic exam
- share details they are not ready to discuss
Our role is to provide support, information, and advocacy so survivors can make informed decisions that feel safest and most empowering for them.
Confidential Support Is Available
Whether the assault happened recently or years ago, survivors deserve access to compassionate support and medical advocacy.
Our advocates are here to help survivors feel supported, informed, and empowered during difficult moments of care and recovery.
You do not have to face this alone.
