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What to Expect at the Hospital
The following content has been adapted from RAINN.
Going to the hospital to get a sexual assault forensic exam is most important for your health and well-being. Sexual assault can affect your physical health. You may have injuries and trauma related to the assaults that aren’t immediately visible. During an exam you may be able to access treatment for these injuries, receive preventative treatment for STIs, and obtain emergency contraception to prevent pregnancy.
DNA evidence from a crime like sexual assault can be collected from the crime scene, but it can also be collected from your body, clothes, and other personal belongings. You may choose to have a sexual assault forensic exam, sometimes known as a “rape kit,” to preserve possible DNA evidence and receive important medical care. You don’t have to report the crime to have an exam, but the process gives you the chance to safely store evidence should you decide to report at a later time.
The closest hospital to our McMinnville campus:
Willamette Valley Medical Center
2700 S.E. Stratus Ave., McMinnville
The closest hospital for our Portland campus:
OHSU Hospital
3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Rd, Portland, OR 97239
(503) 494-8311
Why should you consider having a sexual assault medical forensic exam?
It won’t cost you. You will not be charged for the exam. However, you could be charged for injuries, like a broken arm, that may have happened during the assault.
You can have time to decide if you want to report. The decision to report the crime is entirely yours. It may take some time to decide what to do. Having a sexual assault forensic exam ensures that the forensic evidence will be safely preserved if you decide to report later.
It increases the likelihood of prosecution. The importance of DNA evidence in sexual assault cases cannot be overstated. Even if the perpetrator is not prosecuted, their DNA may be added to the national database, making it easier to connect the perpetrator to a future crime.
Your health matters. Sexual assault can affect your physical health. You may have injuries and trauma related to the assaults that aren’t immediately visible. During an exam you may be able to access treatment for these injuries, receive preventative treatment for STIs, and obtain emergency contraception to prevent pregnancy.
Who will be there?
A Sexual Assault Nurse examiner (SANE) will perform the exam and an advocate from a local Sexual Assault Response Network will be present to support you through the process. It is your right to have an advocate present for support, but it is also your right to decline advocacy services.
What is a rape kit?
The term rape kit refers to the kit itself—a container that includes a checklist, materials, and instructions, along with envelopes and containers to package any specimens collected during the exam. The contents of the kit may include:
- Bags and paper sheets for evidence collection
- Comb
- Documentation forms
- Envelopes
- Instructions
- Materials for blood samples
- Swabs
Preparing for a sexual assault forensic exam
If you are able to, try to avoid activities that could potentially damage evidence such as:
- Bathing
- Showering
- Using the restroom
- Changing clothes
- Combing hair
- Cleaning up the area
It’s natural to want to do these things after a traumatic experience. If you have done any of these activities, you can still have an exam performed. You may want to bring a spare change of clothes with you to the hospital or health facility where you’re going to have the exam.
How long is the exam?
The length of the exam may take a few hours, but the actual time will vary based on several different factors. It may be helpful to have someone to support you during this time. An advocate will accompany you during the actual exam.
What happens during a sexual assault forensic exam?
You can stop, pause, or skip a step at any time during the exam. It is entirely your choice.
Immediate care. If you have injuries that need immediate attention, those will be taken care of first.
History. You will be asked about your current medications, pre-existing conditions, and other questions pertaining to your health history. Some of the questions, such as those about recent consensual sexual activity, may seem very personal, but these questions are designed to ensure that DNA and other evidence collected from the exam can be connected to the perpetrator. You will also be asked about the details of what has happened to you to help identify all potential areas of injury as well as places on your body or clothes where evidence may be located.
Head-to-toe examination. The exam may include a full body examination, including internal examinations of the mouth, vagina, and/or anus. It may also include taking samples of blood, urine, swabs of body surface areas, and sometimes hair samples. The trained professional performing the exam may take pictures of your body to document injuries and the examination. With your permission, they may also collect items of clothing, including undergarments.
Possible mandatory reporting. If you are a minor, the person performing the exam may be obligated to report it to law enforcement.
Follow up care. You may be offered prevention treatment for STIs and other forms of medical care that require a follow up appointment with a medical professional. The SANE and advocate can provide information or resources about reporting options.
How much will it cost me?
If there are other costs incurred by the visit, one can apply for reimbursement through state resources.
Through the fund, victims can be compensated for medical and counseling expenses, wage loss, replacement services, and funeral expenses. Contact the Oregon Crime Victim Compensation Program to learn more.
The Sexual Assault Victim Emergency Medical Response (SAVE) fund, administered by the Oregon Department of Justice, Crime Victims’ Assistance Section (CVAS), pays for any of or all the elements of a “Complete” Medical Assessment, which includes the collection of forensic evidence and must be conducted within 120 hours from the of the assault; and for any of or all the elements of a “Partial” Medical Assessment which does not include the collection of forensic evidence and must be conducted within 7 days of the assault.
Additionally, survivors DO NOT need to report the assault to law enforcement to access the fund. The exam may or may not include evidence collection, sexually transmitted infection (STI) prophylaxis and/or emergency contraception. A confidential, one page form will be completed at the medical facility and submitted by the medical facility for payment.