Preventing Date or Acquaintance Rape
- Convey strongly that you expect your rights to be respected.
- Meet new acquaintances in public places. Always have your own transportation or travel with good friends.
- Keep money in your pocket or purse for phone calls or pay for transportation if you must leave a situation
abruptly. - Be aware of how much alcohol is being consumed. It’s best to avoid using alcohol. While not a direct cause of
date rape, alcohol can increase your vulnerability by lowering your alertness and ability to react. - Clearly define your sexual limit. If someone starts to offend you, be direct. Say no clearly when you mean no.
- If you feel that you are being pressured into unwanted sex, say something as soon as you can, before the behavior
goes any further. - Embarrassment should not keep you from doing what is right for you. Do not hesitate to raise your voice, stand
up abruptly, or scream if the situation warrants it.
What to Do if You Are Attacked
- After an attack, try to be as calm as possible in order to think clearly. Get to a safe place and call for help immediately. If you are in the building, contact security immediately; anywhere else call 911, call a relative or a friend or a rape crisis center. The NYC Police Department Sex Crimes Report Line is always open at 212-COP- RAPE.
- Remain in the same condition as when the attacker left. Do not change, wash, or destroy any clothing or any article that may be evidence.
- Do not wash, douche or comb your hair.
- Have a medical/gynecological exam at the nearest hospital emergency room as soon as possible. The doctor
should note and treat any injury and take measures to combat the possibility of sexually transmitted diseases or
pregnancy. If you report being raped, the doctor must collect semen smears as evidence. - Show police any bruises or injuries, however minor, resulting from the attack. Also show injuries, however minor, resulting from the attack. Also show injuries to a friend or relative who might be available as a
corroborative witness at the trial. If possible, photograph bruises. - Leave the crime scene exactly as it is. Do not touch, clean up, or throw anything away.
- Give any clothing that was stained or torn (including undergarments) during the crime to the police.
- When calm, write down every detail about the incident, including: who, what, where, when, and how; what the
attacker looked like (height, weight, clothing, type of build, color of skin, hair, eyes, facial oddities, scars jewelry, tattoos etc.); description of any vehicle used or the direction you last saw the attacker running; what kind of force or coercion was used; any objects touched, taken, or left by the attacker; if the attacker said anything, try to remember the words, the grammar, any accents or speech defects; and if there were witnesses, list who and where they might be. - Seek psychological support as well as medical attention. Even though the actual incident is over, you may suffer from rape trauma syndrome, which includes a variety of difficulties commonly experienced after a sexual assault
- A student can call the New York City Police Department or 911, or go directly to a hospital. If the student wishes, Public Safety will call 911 on their behalf. It is important to note that if you are a victim of a sex offense, do not destroy any evidence (including clothing) and do not take a shower or bath.
- It is important that such physical evidence be preserved in order to assist with any ensuing criminal investigation. If the student believes that she/he may be the victim of date rape by being drugged, she/he should go directly to a hospital to receive a toxicology examination since such drugs only remain in a person’s system for a short period of time. The Department of Public Safety will assist with notification of other law enforcement authorities and/or medical professionals if the student so chooses.
