GET HELP

If you are in danger, call 911 right away. 

Follow this link for safety planning information.

Go to a trusted friend or family member’s house, the hospital, or a police station. If during regular office hours, same-day crisis appointments may be available.  

Reach out to a trusted friend or family member, or to CARE’s 24-hour helpline. Having support can make a difference and help you to heal. 

If someone has asked you for help in the aftermath of a sexual assault, this page may be helpful for you.

If you or someone you know is experiencing thoughts of suicide, anxiety, depression, or problems with drugs or alcohol, please call 988.

You DO NOT have to report to the police in order to receive medical care after a sexual assault. 

Receive a Sexual Assault Forensic Examination 

You have five days to go to Carroll Hospital or another participating hospital in order to receive a SAFE (Sexual Assault Forensic Examination). After the first five days, you have 15 days to get a cervical swab to collect DNA. SAFEs are offered at no cost to you.  If you have not done so already, try not to shower, bathe, brush your teeth or hair, douche, clean any other part of your body, or dispose of used clothing before going in for an exam in order to preserve possible evidence. If you go to Carroll Hospital, a CARE advocate will be called to meet you, if desired. Advocates are there to answer questions, support you, and empower you. You are not obligated to speak with an advocate or have them present during any part of your time at the hospital, but they will be there for you if you would like them to be. 

To learn more about CARE advocate accompaniments, please look here. 

For a list of SAFE Program participating hospitals in Maryland, click here. If you need help finding a SAFE Program participating hospital, please call our office at (410) 857-0900 or our 24-hour helpline at (410) 857-7322. 

If you do not want to report to law enforcement right away, you can request an anonymous, or “Jane Doe,” exam. You will still receive all medical care and evidence will be collected in case you choose to report to law enforcement later.  In Maryland, evidence collected during a SAFE is saved for 20 years. If you want to report your assault to law enforcement right away, the police will be called to the hospital to interview you and inform you of the next steps. 

If you have more questions or want to know more about what to expect during a SAFE, please call our 24-hour helpline at (410) 857-7322 or visit https://www.carrollhospitalcenter.org/adult-safe-program . 

You DO NOT have to have a full SAFE in order to receive medical care for injuries, sexually transmitted disease prevention, or potential pregnancy at the hospital. You have the right to decline any part of the exam you do not wish to have done. 

If you do not want to go to the hospital, you can go to the Carroll County Health Department, your primary care physician, or an OB-GYN for medical care after an assault. However, only the hospital can perform a SAFE for evidence collection. 

Even if you care deeply about the victim-survivor and want to support their healing, some statements can be harmful, even if unintentional. Here are some things to avoid saying to a victim-survivor:

“It couldn’t have happened that way.”
“You have to report this and press charges right away.”
“I am so mad at [the perpetrator]. I can’t believe they did that!”
“I am devastated. This is an awful story to hear.”
“Let’s talk about something else less upsetting for you.”
“You just need to _______ and it will be fine.” 

If you  chose to and feel safe doing so, you can report your assault to law enforcement. Contact your local precinct or go to the hospital for a Sexual Assault Forensic Examination. A CARE advocate is always available through our 24-hour helpline at (410) 857-7322 and can help you through the process of reporting. To learn more about CARE advocate accompaniments, please look here.

If you are in need of legal advice, please refer to the Sexual Assault Legal Institute affiliated with the Maryland Coalition Against Sexual Assault.

There are many ways to begin healing after a sexual assault, and every victim-survivor has the right to choose their own way forward. Trauma can have a wide variety of long-lasting effects, which are unique to each person. It is important to know that what happened was not your fault and that healing is possible. 

Reaching out to your local rape crisis center can be a good place to start. For a listing of other rape crisis centers in Maryland, please visit https://mcasa.org/survivors/find-a-rape-crisis-center . If you need help finding a rape crisis center in your area, please call our 24-hour helpline at (410) 857-7322. 

Therapy or counseling with a licensed practitioner is helpful for many victim-survivors. CARE Healing Center offers free counseling with a licensed therapist to victim-survivors who are age 12 (or younger human trafficking victim-survivors) and over and their friends and family members who may also be affected. If this sounds like it may be right for you, please call our office at (410) 857-0900 during regular business hours. If you would like to speak with an advocate now, please call our 24-hour helpline at (410) 857-7322. 

Please click here for more information about our Therapy Services and support groups.