The number of sexual assault cases that take place every year is staggering – even if you look at the statistics of sexual assault cases, there are thousands more that don’t get reported, and some victims die before they can ever get their case to an assault attorney.
Some unwanted sexual advances are made by strangers, but many more are made by people the victims knew. Sexual assault is a criminal offense that can result in years in prison for your attacker, depending on the circumstances.
Whatever the specifics of each case, it is important that sexual assailants are brought to justice, not only for your own peace of mind, but for the safety of future victims. But the first thing you have to do is survive, so that you can press assault charges when you get away.
Resisting an Assault
Unfortunately, as studies have shown, if you are attacked, very rarely will you be able to escape, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t fight back. Screaming “NO” gives you a chance that someone might come to your aid. Create a noise or disturbance any way you can. Even if no one comes to help, they might have heard you, which will help you later on if at your assailants court trial. Some people may call the police, so even if no good Samaritan comes to save you, help may be on its way.
Getting Details that Will Help Your Case
Inflicting injury on your assailant something you should try to do at all costs, though enraging a stranger is not a good idea. A stranger is more likely to be a pathological criminal, and may be more likely to seriously injure or kill you if angered (though the evidence on your body will hopefully be enough to convict him with life in prison through a homicide attorney). However, the assailant will expect some resistance, and scratching can embed his/her skin’s DNA under your nails, which can be used as evidence, as will the marks that you’ve inflicted upon him/her.
Blood is an even better piece of evidence, and your assault lawyer can use the DNA from your attacker’s blood to provide proof of guilt. Of course, most things you can do to resist will not draw blood, but fingernail gouges, attacks with your keys, or any other sharp object will work. Even trace amounts can be detected on these objects, so carefully take the evidence to a police station as soon as you are able.
Keep your eyes open especially, if it is a stranger! Take in as many details as possible like what he looks like, how he smells, what his voice sounds like; anything that will make it easier for you or others identify him later.
After the Assault
When it is over, resist the urge to clean yourself. Call the police or go to the hospital. Doctors will take evidence and photographs (which though is like adding insult to injury, needs to be done); which will make sure that the person who did this to you is put behind bars. When you are ready, seek out a sexual assault lawyer to represent your case.
Seeing a psychologist or talking it out will help you survive the nightmare. Experiencing post-traumatic stress disorder is very common for rape victims. For some, they experience it right away, for others it can show itself much later. Remember that there are people who can assist you in getting through it.
Hopefully this is something that you never have to go through. If you do, ensuring that justice is served won’t cure everything, but will assist you in bringing a little closure to a horrifying situation, and it will also take a sexual predator off of the streets and save someone else from having to go through what you experienced.
