FAQ: What medical treatment is available following a sexual assault?

Sexual assault services involve two components: medical care and the sexual assault evidence collection kit (the "rape kit"). Medical care may include the following services: a medical history, a physical examination, treatment of injuries from the assault, pregnancy testing and counseling, testing and prophylaxis for HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STIs), emergency contraception (EC), and rape crisis counseling, [2] although some of these services may be offered through referrals or on follow-up visits. The rape kit usually involves collecting the victim's clothing; head and pubic hair combings; vaginal, penile and anal swabs and smears; oral swabs; saliva or blood samples; and fingernail scrapings and/or clippings. Not all health care facilities are equipped with rape kits. Even among those that do treat rape survivors, some do not offer comprehensive sexual offense care, such as provision of on-site EC, [3] even though Department of Health protocols require that minor sexual assault survivors be offered EC if subjected to unprotected intercourse in the proceeding 72 hours and where medically appropriate. [4]

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