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How to Help a Friend

• Attempt to stay calm and be alert to situations that you can exploit to your advantage. Your primary objective should be to survive the attack, and if possible, avoid serious additional injury to yourself.
• If possible, try to get away as fast as you can. If, however, you are immediately threatened, attempting to escape or fight back initially may not be possible or advisable. Remember, staying alive is your most important concern. Take notice of the characteristics, habits, surroundings, speech, and mannerisms of your assailant. This could enable you to deal with the assailant and perhaps talk your way out of a rape situation, or provide a means of escape. Also, this information is invaluable for the police in trying to apprehend the criminal.
• If you are on campus, notify Security (x7777 from a campus phone or 812/464-1845 from any other phone) as soon as possible and the appropriate law enforcement agency will be contacted.
• Try to avoid disturbing potential evidence. Don't change clothes, shower, or wash your hands.
• Seek medical attention. The evidence discovered by a sexual assault exam kit may be vital for the perpetrator's prosecution if you decide to take legal action. Even if you choose not to press charges, you may need treatment for injuries that you are not aware of, or treatment to prevent pregnancy or treat STDs.
• Seek mental health care. Counseling can help you heal. You may contact the Counseling Center at 464-1867 or Albion Fellows Bacon Center at 812/424-7273 (24 hours/day).

  Rape Kits are free in Indiana! They are paid for out of the Victim Compensation Fund. Once you complete the paperwork at the emergency room, no notifications will be sent to your parents, your insurance company, or even back to you. Even if you choose not to press charges, it is still a good idea to seek medical care.

• Make sure they are safe. If not, get him/her to a safe place.
• Listen, believe, and do not judge them.
• Reinforce that s/he is not to blame.
• Call campus Security (x7777 from a campus phone or 812/464-1845 from other phones) if you are on campus or emergency dispatch (911) if you are not.
• Call Albion Fellows Bacon Center's Rape Crisis line (812/424-7273); trained counselors will be able to help you in understanding what steps to take to help your friend.
• Encourage him/her not to disturb potential evidence. Even if they do not plan to press charges, they should not change clothes, shower, or wash their hands after the assault, which can disturb DNA evidence. Get medical attention first.
• Explain that seeking medical attention is very important if the assault was recent. There may be injuries that s/he is unaware of.
• Help him/her organize their thoughts, but let them make decisions about how to proceed.
• Be accessible. Your friend may need to talk at odd hours or for long periods of time.
• Deal with your feelings. Sexual assault impacts loved ones, and you need to heal as well.
• Understand that every victim is different. Your friend may exhibit shock, denial, rationalization, depression, guilt, fear, anxiety, and anger. All are normal emotions.
• Do not engage with the alleged perpetrator. Contacting him/her may be viewed as threatening behavior.
• Encourage him/her to get mental health care. You may contact the Counseling Center at 464-1867 or Albion Fellows Bacon Center at 812/424-7273 (24 hours/day).

• Document all instances of stalking by noting the time, actions used, places, names of witnesses, and addresses.
• Collect and maintain all evidence such as voicemails, text messages, emails, letters, screen shots of Facebook or other internet pages (not just bookmarks), and photos of injuries or any destroyed property.
• Have a safe place to go to if relocation becomes necessary.
• Make sure to have necessities such as back up keys and accessible money.
• Contact USI Security or local law enforcement if you think you are being stalked.

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