Alliance: Identifying the Services You Need
Identifying the Services You Need
In order to use this guide properly, you should determine your present needs. If you have recently been raped and are in need of immediate medical attention, please call 911 or consult your local hospital-based rape crisis program. Hospital-based programs provide medical examina-tions and rape crisis counselors 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. They provide follow-up counseling, medical care, information and referrals and other services if necessary.If you were assaulted some time ago and are in need of counseling, con-sult your local rape crisis program about what to do in your situation. They can offer you information about short-term, long-term and group counseling as well as how to report the crime to the police and the rami-fications of doing so.
This guide also includes child advocacy centers that help treat child sex-ual and physical abuse, sex offender treatment programs and criminal justice centers. In order to utilize the following services, the New York City Alliance Against Sexual Assault advises survivors to call these pro-grams and make an appointment to talk to a counselor, find information about support groups, or ask about particular services. It is advised when you call an agency or program, you need not ask for the person listed as the "contact". This name is given as a reference for professionals.
The most important thing is to know that help exists for your recovery after a sexual assault. You are not alone, and you deserve to receive all the help necessary for your optimal emotional, physical and mental health.
Copyright © 2000-2008 by The New York City Alliance Against Sexual Assault