How to Support a Friend

• Tell someone – a friend, family member, rape crisis advocate, or professional.
• Seek ongoing support – the resources on the following page are available to you.
• Medical follow-up is recommended to ensure your physical well-being. This can be done at the local emergency department, student health, or your physician.
• You have the option of reporting. Evidence collection can be done at the Emergency Department. To pursue this option, it is best not to shower, bathe, change clothes or douche in order to preserve physical evidence. Having evidence collected does not obligate you to proceed with legal or judicial action. Anonymous reporting is an option.

• Sexual assault and relationship violence can have a lasting impact on an individual's well-being. Although survivors may experience feelings of depression, guilt, anger, fear, grief and loss, and may find their relationships, academic performance, and day-to-day functioning affected, it is possible to heal.
• Tell someone – a friend, family member, rape crisis advocate, or professional – even if you didn't tell anyone at the time it happened.
• Seek ongoing support – the resources on the following page are available to you.
• You have the option of reporting – to the police or the Office of Judicial Affairs, either formally or anonymously.

• Be a good listener. – Respond to feelings as well as words.
• Believe her/him. – People rarely make up stories of sexual assault, rape or abuse.
• Don't blame the person – No victim asks to be assaulted; no one deserves to be assaulted. No matter what the survivor wore, what party they attended, what sexual behavior they voluntarily engaged in, they are not responsible for the assault.
• Provide support without taking over. – Encourage the individual to explore their options and let the individual make her/his own decisions.
• Respect the individual’s privacy. – Let the individual decide whom she/he will tell.
• Be there during the long healing process. – Provide ongoing support.
• Take care of yourself. – The resources on the following page are available to you too.