After Sexual Assault/Intimate Partner Harm

Medical Treatment & Forensic Exams

During a Sexual Assault Forensic Examination, victims/survivors may receive prophylaxis medication for emergency pregnancy contraception and the prevention of STI/STDs. Please keep in mind that medication and evidence preservation (see ‘Preserving Evidence’ below) are time-sensitive.

A Sexual Assault Forensic Exam (sometimes called a “rape kit”) is a medical exam where forensic evidence may be collected from the body. This is a free service performed by a Sexual Assault Nuse Examiner at Dominican Hospital in Santa Cruz County. Generally, exams are administered up to 10 days after an assault has occurred. Please consult with a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner about specific circumstances and options. CARE Advocates and advocates at Monarch Services can help you connect with a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner.

Those seeking a forensic examination after sexual assault are entitled to an advocate present. In Santa Cruz County, Advocates from CARE and Monarch Services are available to accompany victims/survivors to Sexual Assault Forensic Examinations. CARE Advocates recommend calling an advocate before arriving at a hospital to cut down on wait times and ensure that a Sexual Assault Forensic Nurse Examiner is alerted in advance.

To speak with a CARE Advocate, please contact 831-502-2273. View CARE hours of operation. You may reach an advocate at Monarch Services by calling their 24-hour Bilingual Hotline at 1-888-900-4232.

Non-Investigative Forensic Examinations

A Non-Investigative Forensic Examination is a Sexual Assault Forensic Examination (SAFE) that does not include a police report. This exam allows a victim/survivor to receive medical attention, collect evidence, and decide at a later date if they would like to have the case investigated.

Preserving Evidence

Preservation of evidence may assist in identifying or prosecuting the person who caused harm. You may consider taking the following steps to assist in preserving evidence.

Physical Evidence

If you have experienced a sexual assault, try to avoid showering, bathing, eating, drinking, washing your hands, or brushing your teeth until after you’ve had a SART exam.
- If you have already done the actions mentioned above, DNA and other evidence may still be collected from your body.
Save any clothing you were wearing at the time of the assault and place each item in a separate paper bag (Don’t use plastic bags).
Avoid cleaning or disturbing the area on your body that was harmed.
You may request a urine test if you suspect that you’ve been drugged (see ‘Drug Facilitated SA’ below).
Digital Evidence
Save all text messages, emails, social media postings (taking screenshots can be helpful), or anything else that might be helpful in reconstructing the events.
If you’ve deleted text messages, you might be able to recover them if it’s still within the same billing period; contact your mobile service provider for more information.
Write down the names of people who might have seen you immediately before or after the assault, as it’s easy to forget later.

Digital Evidence

Save all text messages, emails, social media postings (taking screenshots can be helpful), or anything else that might be helpful in reconstructing the events.
If you’ve deleted text messages, you might be able to recover them if it’s still within the same billing period; contact your mobile service provider for more information.
Write down the names of people who might have seen you immediately before or after the assault, as it’s easy to forget later.

Drug Facilitated Sexual Assault (DFSA)

If you think you may have been drugged or experienced a drug-facilitated sexual assault, voluntary drug testing is available at the UCSC Student Health Center.

What is Drug Facilitated Sexual Assault?

Affirmative consent means that there is a conscious, freely given, and mutual agreement to engage in any type of sexual activity. Drug-facilitated sexual assault is when a perpetrator deliberately uses any type of alcohol or drug to compromise someone’s ability to consent because they are intoxicated or incapacitated. If someone is incapacitated, they are not able to consent, no matter the circumstance.

What are some of the side effects of being drugged?

If you have been drugged involuntarily, you may not know what substances you were given and how your body would react to them. Different individuals can have different reactions to the same substances, and side effects may depend on what else you ingested, whether you had eaten recently, or even your stress levels. Some physical symptoms that someone who has been drugged may experience include:

Dizziness, disorientation and blurred vision
Nausea or vomiting
Memory loss
Sudden incapacitation when you’ve had little to no alcohol

Source: Amherst University Police Station

If you are concerned about your experience of any of these symptoms, please consider seeking medical care. Testing may allow for the detection of drugs that are still in your system, but you can also consult with your doctor about other health concerns.

What drugs are used during DFSA?

Many substances can be used to incapacitate someone. Some of the more common substances include “party drugs” like Rohypnol and Ketamine. Perpetrators may also use prescription medications such as sleep aids, anxiety medication, muscle relaxers, and tranquilizers.

Source: Stanford University Office of Vice Provost for Institutional Equity, Access, & Community

Alcohol is frequently used on its own or in combination with other substances and is the most common drug used in drug-facilitated sexual assaults. Involuntary drugging most often (though not exclusively) occurs in places where alcohol is prevalent, such as bars, clubs, and parties.

Options Available for Individuals Impacted by Intimate Partner Harm or Domestic Violence

If you or someone you know are experiencing an emergency, please call 911.

Below are options designed to support individuals impacted by recent intimate partner harm or domestic violence, focusing on your safety, healing, and empowerment.

If you have physical injuries, consider requesting a Domestic Violence Forensic Examination at an emergency medical care facility (Dominican Hospital in Santa Cruz) or by contacting a CARE Advocate. During a forensic examination, a nurse can assess and document injuries and collect evidence from the body.
If you were choked or strangled, CARE strongly encourages you to go to the nearest Emergency Room. Medical evaluation may be crucial in saving a life and detecting internal injuries that may not be visible to the naked eye. It is helpful to document photographs sequentially for the days after an assault to establish a journal of physical evidence (Training Institute on Strangulation Prevention).
If you need safe housing, please consider contacting CARE, Slug Support, or Walnut Avenue’s 24-Hour Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-866-269-2559. Please note that options for housing may differ whether you are a student, employee, or campus affiliate.
Develop a safety plan with a CARE Advocate or trusted support person.
You may learn about your reporting options and victim’s rights by completing research or making an appointment with a CARE Advocate.
If you feel that you are being followed, surveilled, or stalked, you may consider documenting stalking incidents and behavior to assist in a possible report or investigation.

Please note that CARE Advocates are available to accompany you to emergency rooms, medical appointments related to your experience, police departments, court hearings, Title IX matters, or other appointments as needed. To request advocate accompaniment, you can reach out to 831-502-2273, care@ucsc.edu, or contact your advocate directly.

Additional Resources