Based on the information collated by the Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Abuse (ICASA), 1 in 3 women and 1 in 6 men in the US are sexually abused in their lifetime, and 77% of whom know their abuser. Moreover, the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN) reported that younger people and women were the highest demographics at risk for sexual abuse. With these alarming statistics in mind, it’s crucial to know treatment options victims and survivors have and preventive measures for others.
Treatment
Illinois has the Sexual Assault Survivors Emergency Treatment Act (SASETA) implemented, foremost, for victims and survivors to access healthcare assistance. The law also establishes a “statewide forensic evidence collection system” and regulates a reimbursement program for services not covered by Medicaid or private insurance. The SASETA requires hospitals and pediatric facilities to have an areawide sexual assault treatment plan that implements medical forensic services. Victims will be given emergency contraception approved by the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) aimed to reduce the risk for pregnancy if taken within 72 hours following the assault.
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted:
- Go to a safe environment.
- Contact someone you trust.
- Contact a rape crisis hotline in Illinois.
- Visit your local Emergency Department for possible injuries.
- Submit to a medical examination to collect evidence (also known as a rape kit).
- Contact the police to report the assault.
A typical treatment will include the following:
- Medical forensic services for injuries;
- Emergency contraceptives;
- Rape crisis counseling.
Note that victims and survivors aged 13 years old and above may consent to the medical forensic services, including consent to release the information for possible criminal investigation. Victims and survivors under 13, however, may consent to the medical evaluation after an assault but will require the consent of a parent, guardian, or the Department of Family and Child Services to release the information to the authorities for investigation.
Under the amendments made to SASETA, institutions providing healthcare (hospitals, laboratory, pharmacy, physicians, etc) and follow-up services to sexual assault survivors are prohibited from:
- Harassing, intimidating, or contacting sexual assault survivors about for service payments;
- Contacting the survivor for anything related to the incurred bills or portions of it;
- Hiring collection agencies or attorneys to collect from the survivor;
- Ruining a survivor’s credit rating; and
- Conducting other steps that will adversely impact the survivors and their families.
For queries or concerns, know the contact information of involved institutions under the SASETA and get in touch with them. The Illinois Sexual Harassment Discrimination Helpline provides contact information of organizations and institutions providing information, healthcare, and employment assistance for victims and survivors. Resilience, a non-profit organization in Illinois that supports SV victims and survivors, offers a range of programs and services.
You may also check this list of organizations in Illinois per county for information or assistance following an assault. The ICASA has a rape crisis center navigation system specifically in the Illinois area on their website.
Prevention
Sexual abuse is never the fault of the victims and survivors. Businesses, educational institutions, and other relevant organizations must be vigilant in hiring or welcoming new members who interact with their clients or other members, especially with children. Sexual violence in people of all ages, races, and genders, is an abhorrent crime that brings trauma and life-long consequences.
Primary prevention happens when abuse is stopped before it ever occurs while secondary prevention aims to reduce the harms resulting from sexual violence (SV). Preventive measures may include approaches geared towards changing social norms and maintaining a safe domestic atmosphere.
Practicing Societal Norms against SV according to the Centers for Disease Control And Prevention (CDC):
- Bystander Approaches. Includes steps in changing societal norms surrounding the topic of SV through engagement and leadership. These approaches primarily target the youth by adopting and promoting behaviors to help detect problematic behavior, take appropriate steps, and effectively intervene.
- Mobilizing men and boys as allies. Approaches are primarily developed for men and boys to realize their roles in preventing SV and supporting victims while ingraining skills and norms to prevent their perpetration.
Preventive measures for parents or guardians according to Chicago’s Children Advocacy Center and RAINN:
- Communication. Building healthy rapport with your children will help them open up to you especially when they feel discomfort or notice inappropriate behavior. Listen to them. The key to communication is being honest, respectful, and developmentally-appropriate.
- Be involved in your child’s life. Ask them about their daily interactions and the people they’re interacting with without being intrusive. Know who they spend the bulk of their time with at school and outside.
- Teach your child about healthy sexuality. As a parent or guardian, you must learn age-appropriate sexual behaviors and discuss this with the child. Use correct terms for body parts and answer questions properly and accurately. This will help them identify proper and improper behavior before or when it happens.
- Establish consistent rules and boundaries. Teach your child about boundaries, consent, and privacy. Make sure that they follow the same rule outside of your home and let people who interact with them know about these boundaries and when you notice violations. It goes without saying that you must follow your own rules to set a good example.
- Choose their caregivers. Ask for multiple character references, if possible, and ask about their performance and interactions. Ask for a background check. Although background checks aren’t reliable due to low reporting of SV, this may still help to weed out your candidates. Use the National Sex Offender Public Website (NSOPW).
- Observe, intervene, and speak up. Being attentive to your child’s life is important in keeping an eye out for potential concerning events or behaviors. Ask your child questions properly and talk about safety. Ask about your child in school and other places they may frequent. Use a safe word to alarm you of emergency or uncomfortable situations.
The Illinois Department of Human Services also offers Sexual Assault Prevention Programs geared to help SV survivors and their families and friends. The program provides a 24-hour crisis hotline, crisis services, information, counseling, medical support, criminal justice support, and prevention education.
Positions of Power
Authority brings power imbalance among people; it happens in schools, workplaces, other organizations and institutions, and even at home. Some people use their authority over others to force their subordinates to engage in unwanted sexual conduct or discriminate against them because of their sex or gender. The Illinois Human Rights Act protects employees, students, tenants, and others from sexual harassment and sex discrimination in different environments.
Sexual abuse in minorities
According to the statistics gathered by the Portland Community College, for every 1 African-American woman that reports her rape, 15 others do not. The National Violence Against Women also reported that 37.5% of Native American women are victims of intimate partner violence (IPV) that includes physical assault, rape, and stalking. A study also showed that 48% of Latin women reported that their partners’ violence against them increased upon their migration.
Obstacles for minorities in seeking help
While persons of color (POC) have community-specific barriers in seeking for help following incidents of SV, there are common denominators:
- Distrust for law enforcement, justice system, and social workers;
- Cultural and/or religious beliefs tying victims to abusive relationships;
- Strong loyalty to family, culture, and race;
- Lack of culturally and linguistically appropriate services;
- Lack of service-provider representative that look like them or share the same experiences;
- Distrust due to racism and classism in US’ history
- Racial stereotyping by providers;
- Attitudes and stereotypes on SV and domestic violence in the community;
- Citizenship of the victim and/or abuser in the country.
If you’re in need of assistance, no matter the race, gender, or age, you may contact the National Sexual Assault Telephone Hotline at 800.656.HOPE (4673). You will then be connected with a trained sexual assault service provider in your area. Don’t be afraid to reach out and seek assistance and medical help.
Deciding whether to pursue legal action against your abuser or not should be your own. Despite the complexities of the system, know that you’re not alone and that it’s possible to hold your perpetrators accountable, even big time institutions. Our sexual abuse attorneys here at America’s Consumer Lawyer will help you navigate your legal battle while respecting and maintaining your privacy and space.
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