How to Report Rape or Sexual Assault

Everything You Need to Know About Reporting Sexual Assault

Where to Report

There are four basic options for reporting rape or sexual assault — over the phone, at a police station, at a hospital during a rape kit exam, or with the help of an advocacy organization.

1. Over the phone

The best way to report an assault of any kind is to call the non-emergency number for your local police station. Although you can call 911 (US and Canada), this number is generally reserved for urgent emergency calls only. If you are not able to locate the non-emergency police number for your area, it’s okay to just call 911.

Of course, if you are in an emergency situation and need immediate assistance in the wake of an assault, call 911 as soon as possible.

2. At a police station

Another common way to report sexual assault or rape is to visit your local police station in person. There, you can speak directly with an officer or investigator who will start a police report and gather evidence if possible.

3. At a hospital during a rape kit exam

Although not all hospitals can assist with reporting, hospitals that administer rape kit exams generally provide the option of having an officer visit the hospital if you’re interested in reporting immediately.

Reporting your assault is not a requirement of having a rape kit done. To learn more about rape kit exams, check out our article “What is a Rape Kit?”

4. Through an advocacy organization

For those who want assistance or accompaniment during the reporting process, advocacy organizations often offer these services. This means that someone else may be able to call the police on your behalf, visit the police station with you, or help you file your police report.

To locate a sexual assault advocacy organization in your area, use the Go Thrive Go search tool and search for “Advocacy / Accompaniment” services near you.

When to Report

In most places, there is no time limit on when you can report sex crimes to the authorities. In Canada and the UK, for example, it doesn’t matter whether it’s been days or decades – you can always report.

However, sex crime laws in the US are more complicated, and the “statute of limitations” varies from state to state. Some states have eliminated reporting limitations altogether – including Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming – meaning that you can report any sex crime at any time regardless of how long it’s been.

If you live in another state, you will have anywhere from three to 21 years to report your sexual assault to the authorities, otherwise you forfeit your right to pursue a criminal case against your perpetrator(s). To learn about the reporting requirements in your US state, you can find a state-by-state guide to statutes of limitation here.

While it’s generally agreed that sooner is better when it comes to reporting, don’t let waiting stop you from reporting altogether. That said, reporting sooner can help bolster your case, as victims who report within a few days of an assault tend to face less scrutiny in the legal system. This does not, however, mean that victims who wait to report are less legitimate.

How to Report (What to Expect)

When you call or visit the authorities to report a sexual assault, you’ll probably be feeling nervous, afraid, or uneasy. Speaking to a complete stranger in a position of authority about something so vulnerable and traumatic isn’t something any of us would ever wish to do. But being aware of what to expect from this process will hopefully help it feel a bit less intimidating.

Below, we’ll break down the four basic elements of the reporting process.

1. Gathering of personal information

Regardless of how you contact the police, the first thing they will want to know is your basic personal information, such as your name, contact information, date of birth, address, etc. This will allow them to create a file for you and ensure that they can contact you as the investigation unfolds.

2. Police report

Next, you will be asked to provide an account of what happened so that the officer can create a police report for you. During this process, the officer will likely ask you a series of questions such as…

-Where did the assault happen?
-Who was the assailant? Do you know them? If so, what is your relationship to them?
-Were drugs and/or alcohol involved?

-What happened during the assault?

Keep in mind that the questions police officers ask during this process often feel accusatory toward the victim. Try to remain as confident as possible even if it feels like the officer is trying to blame you for what happened.

3. Recorded interview

Although this might not happen on the same day of your initial report, you may be asked at some point to participate in a recorded interview with an investigator. This usually happens a few days or even weeks after the initial report is filed.

During your interview, you will be asked to recount what happened to you and answer any follow-up questions the investigator has. It’s important to be aware that a recorded interview could potentially be used in court if your case goes to trial, along with the rest of the materials created or acquired during the investigation.

4. Evidence collection

If you have not yet undergone a rape kit exam at the time of reporting, the authorities will likely ask you if you’d like to visit a local hospital to complete one of these exams. Rape kit exams are designed to collect critical forensic evidence that can be used to identify and/or prosecute perpetrators of sex crimes. As such, they are an extremely important part of building a strong case against your perpetrator. If you’ve already completed a rape kit, the authorities can contact the hospital where you had your exam done to get access to your evidence kit.

In some cases, the officer who creates your initial police report might also conduct some basic evidence collection at the police station. For example, if you have any belongings, outerwear, or other objects that could yield perpetrator DNA, you might be asked to submit them into evidence. In some cases, an officer might also take basic external swabs of non-intimate areas like hands, arms, neck, face, etc. This is unlikely to happen, however, if more than a few days have passed since your assault or if you’ve showered or bathed since.

Why Report?

The primary reason to report sexual assault or rape is to pursue legal action against a perpetrator(s). That said, reporting an assault or rape does not guarantee that the assailant will face any charges or legal ramifications. Sexual assault and rape face a high “burden of proof” within the court system and are considered extremely difficult to prosecute as a result. For example, in the US, only 0.007% of all rape cases result in a felony conviction.

But pursuing legal action is not the only reason to report a sexual assault or rape. Crime statistics inform societal awareness of sexual violence and who it affects. And because sex crimes are underreported, the services and resources designed to assist victims of sexual assault and rape are underfunded and underemphasized. Accurate sexual assault and rape statistics also help inform public policy and shape the way society can more effectively show up for and protect victims of sexual assault.

However, it is not the responsibility of individual sexual assault victims to remedy a culture that dismisses the legitimacy and seriousness of sex crimes. Victims who do not report have nothing to be ashamed of. Whether and when to report is an extremely personal decision and should be left to each individual.

Conclusion

Reporting sexual assault or rape to the authorities involves speaking directly to police officers and investigators about your experiences. Although the process of reporting can feel overwhelming, scary, or even re-traumatizing, it’s an indispensable part of the process for survivors who wish to pursue legal action against their perpetrator(s). Reporting can also help inform more accurate sex crime statistics and contribute to more relevant sex crime legislation. However, reporting is not a requirement for victims of sexual assault, and the decision to do so or not should be left to each individual.

Summary :

To report an instance of sexual assault or rape, a victim should speak to a law officer directly by calling or visiting their local police station. In some cases, victims can also report at the hospital during a sexual assault forensic exam or through a third-party advocacy organization. In Canada and the UK, reporting can happen at any time, regardless of how long it’s been since the assault. However, reporting requirements vary drastically from state to state for those who live in the US. In most cases, reporting as soon as possible is viewed as the best way to bolster the strength of a case against a perpetrator. During the process of reporting, victims are asked to recount their experiences, provide a witness statement, submit evidence, and participate in a recorded interview with an investigator. Reporting sexual assault and rape can not only lead to the conviction of sex offenders, but it can also help inform more accurate sex crime statistics, which contribute to better public policy and social service funding.

Author Bio :

Dana Anastasia (they/them) is an independent writer, editor, podcaster, and artist. With a degree in interdisciplinary sociology and a background in domestic violence and sexual assault advocacy, Dana brings a keen awareness of victim and survivor needs and experiences to their work.

Resources

Durham Rape Crisis Centre – https://drcc.ca/questions/long-press-charges/

State by State Guide on Statutes of Limitations, RAINN – https://www.rainn.org/state-state-guide-statutes-limitations

Edmonton Police Service – https://www.edmontonpolice.ca/CommunityPolicing/PersonalPropertyCrimes/SexualAssault/ReportingSexualAssault

National Sexual Violence Resource Center – https://www.nsvrc.org/sites/default/files/publications_nsvrc_factsheet_media-packet_statistics-about-sexual-violence_0.pdf

Pew Research Center – https://www.pewresearch.org/short-reads/2020/11/20/facts-about-crime-in-the-u-s/

Chicago Alliance Against Sexual Exploitation – https://www.caase.org/what-happens-report-sexual-assault-to-police/

RAINN – https://www.rainn.org/articles/what-expect-criminal-justice-system

Where, When, and How to Report Rape or Sexual Assault

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