Have You Been Sexually Assaulted? Here’s What You Should Do

Sexual assault, along with forms or harassment and misconduct, has been running rampant across the country for months now. What seemed like one major figure in Hollywood being charged with accusations has turned into nationwide chaos. Sexual assault, harassment, and misconduct are everywhere. Film. Sports. Politics. Colleges. Work. Everywhere.

With that being said, the Law Offices of Anthony Carbone wanted to pass along some important information regarding the matter. Specifically, sexual assault.

According to a report by the National Sexual Violence Resource Center, nearly 1 in 5 women and 1 in 71 men have reported rape at some point in their lives. Ninety-one percent of victims that have been sexually assaulted are female, while only nine percent are men. In eight out of 10 cases of sexual assault and rape, the victim knew the person that had violated them. Additionally, approximately 1 in 20 men and women have experienced some sort of sexual violence such as sexual coercion or unwanted sexual contact. Eight percent of those occurrences happen in the workplace.

In New Jersey, aggressive sexual assault is defined when one party commits an act of penetration with another person without consent. It is considered a first-degree crime and carries a hefty punishment. But if you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, what actions should you take?

The Safe Helpline offers the following tips after being assaulted:

• Find a safe location and call the authorities.
• If you can’t leave the scene of the crime, do not touch or remove anything from the surroundings.
• Although you may feel the urge to physically distance yourself from the assault, do not bathe, eat, wash any part of your body or smoke. Doing so may erase evidence relevant to your attacker.
• Take a moment to write down any memories you have of the event, as painful as it may be. This will help the authorities and will help you later in court.
• Seek medical attention as soon as possible. Even if you have no injuries, you may be at risk of getting a sexually transmitted disease (STD) or sexually transmitted infection (STI). If you’re a woman, you may run the risk of becoming pregnant.

The most important step you can take is calling the Law Offices of Antony Carbone as quickly as possible.

We’ve handled sensitive cases such as domestic violence incidents and sexual assault for nearly three decades. Attorney Carbone knows how to get you the justice you deserve. Contact us today for a free consultation.