Sexual Assault or Violence
Steps for seeking care below:
What should I do immediately?
1. Contact The Police
Contact the Police by calling 911 or, if a college student, contact Campus Police f you feel unsafe or wish to file a police report. Even if you do not want to file a report or press charges, we strongly encourage survivors to contact the Police to learn about available resources and options. You will NOT be pressured to pursue criminal investigation if you don’t want to. You can even talk to an officer without meeting in person or giving identifying information.
2. Seek Medical Attention.
A health care provider can check for injuries, discuss concerns about STIs and pregnancy, and talk with you about evidence collection, also called a PERK (Physical Evidence Recovery Kit) exam. A PERK exam is free and does not require a commitment to report or press charges. PERK exams should be completed within 5 days (the sooner the better) and are available at Valley Urgent Care & Occupational Medicine during all regular clinic hours.
3. Preserve Evidence.
You don’t have to make any decisions immediately, but if there is any chance you might press charges, it is important to preserve evidence:
- Please do not change clothes or shower. If you do remove clothing, place them in a paper (not plastic) bag.
- If oral contact took place, try not to eat, drink, smoke, or brush your teeth.
What should I do next?
Community Resources
You are not alone. Resources are available to support you, listen to you, and believe you.
Local hotlines offer confidential support, crisis intervention, and referrals to local resources for survivors of sexual violence, intimate partner violence and/or stalking.
Collins Center: Collins Center is a sexual assault response and advocacy organization that serves Rockingham and Page Counties, the City of Harrisonburg, and surrounding communities. For over thirty years, Collins Center has offered support to victims, survivors, and their loved ones through many programs and services, including sexual assault crisis support and advocacy, prevention and education, and trauma-informed counseling. Our nationally accredited Child Advocacy Center (CAC) works collaboratively with community partners to provide a proactive and thorough response to child victims of abuse and their non-offending caregivers.
info@thecollinscenter.org
540.432.6430 | 24HR Hotline: 540.434.2272
First Step is the domestic violence shelter serving Harrisonburg and Rockingham County. They maintain a 24-hour crisis hotline and can provide advocacy and accompaniment services to people who have experienced domestic violence. They also run support groups. (540) 434-0295
On-Campus Resources
JMU Title IX maintains a list of campus-based resources, including confidential resources, reporting resources, a resource guide, and FAQs. This site also outlines information about Title IX at JMU.
The JMU Counseling Center’s STEP program offers free and confidential trauma-informed counseling options for JMU students who have experienced sexual assault.
EMU On Campus Survivor Advocacy
To connect with survivor advocate Rehana Franklin:
Call or text: 540-820-4237
Email: rehana.franklin@emu.edu
Bridgewater College Counseling Services.
Talk with a counselor who will maintain confidentiality, help explain your options and provide emotional support. Counseling Services can be reached Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. by calling 540-828-5402. When the Counseling Center is closed, a College counselor is on call and may be reached by contacting Campus Police and Safety at 540-578-5609. You only need to say that you would like to speak with the counselor on call.