Module 12 · Health & safety

Sexual assault & getting help

What it is, what to do right after, and local help that’s free and confidential. 8 min · 4 lessons

Lesson 1

It’s never your fault

Sexual assault is any sexual contact or activity without consent. It can be done by a stranger, a date, a partner or someone you know well, and it can happen to anyone.

Sexual violence is never the victim’s fault.

Nothing you do, say or wear makes you responsible for someone else’s choice to hurt you. And you’re not alone: in a 2023 CDC survey, 11% of high school students had experienced sexual violence in the past year, including 17% of girls and 6% of boys.

Lesson 2

Right after an assault

Get safe. If you’re in danger or seriously hurt, call 911.
Reach out. SAFE San Juans’ 24/7 crisis line on Orcas is (360) 376-1234. It’s free and confidential, and an advocate can talk through your options with you. You can also call RAINN’s National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800-656-4673, or text HOPE to 64673.
Get medical care. A clinician can check for injuries you can’t see or feel and give medicine to help prevent STIs. In Washington the exam is free: the state pays, not you.
If you can, save evidence. Evidence can usually be collected up to 5 days after an assault, and sooner is better. Try not to shower, bathe, change clothes, use the restroom or comb your hair before the exam, and put clothes or other items in a paper bag. If you already have, you can still get care.

During the exam, you can stop, pause or skip any step.

Lesson 3

Your choices about reporting

If you’re 18 or older, you don’t have to report to police to get the free exam. In Washington, evidence collected without a police report is kept for 20 years, so you can decide later.
If you’re under 18, you still get the free exam, and you don’t have to file a report yourself. But doctors, nurses, counselors and teachers are required by law to report it to child protective services or police. Calling SAFE San Juans first can help you understand what will happen.

Lesson 4

Helping a friend

Believe them, and tell them it’s not their fault.
Listen without pushing for details.
Let them choose what happens next, and offer to go with them.
Encourage them to reach out to a trusted adult or SAFE San Juans, (360) 376-1234. If they’re in danger, call 911.

Check yourself

Myth or fact?

If someone was drinking, an assault is partly their fault.

Myth. Using alcohol or drugs never means someone asked to be harmed. The person who chose to harm them is to blame.

In Washington, the medical exam after a sexual assault is free.

Fact. State law says it can’t be billed to the victim. The state pays.

You have to file a police report to get the exam.

Myth. Adults don’t have to report to get the free exam. For anyone under 18, the exam is still free, but the clinician will likely have to report it.

Questions people ask

Asked and answered.

What if it happened a while ago?

It’s never too late to get support. SAFE San Juans and RAINN help survivors no matter when an assault happened, and medical care can still help.

What if the person who hurt me is someone I know or date?

It’s still assault, and it’s still not your fault. The same free help is there for you. See Healthy relationships & consent for warning signs.

Where is the nearest emergency room?

PeaceHealth Peace Island Medical Center in Friday Harbor, open 24 hours. In an emergency on Orcas, call 911. See safety resources.

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