Women's Resource Center | Helping You | Sexual Violence: Frequently Asked Questions

EMERGENCY ESCAPE CLICK HERE TO LEAVE THIS SITE Computer use can be monitored and is impossible to completely clear. If you are afraid your internet and/or computer usage might be monitored, please use a safer computer at the library or at a friend's house. For more information, please click here.

Helping You:

GO TO: How You Can Help

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I have a medical exam? PERK test?

An individual who has experienced sexual assault can have a medical exam to make sure that the injuries from the assault and any sexually transmitted infections contracted are attended and to discuss issues of potential pregnancy. If the assault happened within the past 72 hours and the individual chooses to cooperate with police then they can have a PERK (Physical Evidence Recovery Kit) performed. This kit gathers evidence for an investigation and to check for further injuries. If the hospital has Forensic Nurse Examiners they can do a more thorough exam and can use more advanced equipment to gather evidence. They also are able to go to court and discuss their findings.

Should I contact the police?

An individual who has experienced sexual violence can:

Choose not to report the crime;
Report the crime to the police and not press charges;
Report to the police with the intent of pressing charges against the perpetrator.

If the individual is an adult, there is no mandated reporting unless there is a weapon inflicted wound that is not self-inflicted.

If the individual chooses to prosecute the case, an officer may take the initial report and the crime will be investigated by a detective. After the detective/investigator has gathered all the evidence, they will turn the evidence over to the Commonwealth’s Attorney who will decide if the case is taken to court. An individual can speak with the investigator, the Commonwealth’s Attorney and/or a Women’s Resource Center Legal Advocate to find out the status of the case.

What will the court experience be like?

As soon as the defendant is arrested a bail bond is set, and the defendant may be released pending future hearings. A preliminary hearing will follow, which determines whether there is probable cause to believe that a crime has been committed and that the named defendant is the one who committed the crime. The individual may be required to testify at this hearing. If probable cause is found the case is certified to the Grand Jury. The Grand Jury is a group of seven citizens from the locality where the crime was committed. The individual does not testify before the Grand Jury and the defendant is not present. The Grand Jury is held in private, and the investigating officer is asked to present the case. If there is a direct indictment from the Grand Jury then the case moves over to Circuit Court and an arraignment is set. If a not guilty plea is entered then a trial date is set. The trial can be before a judge or a jury and either side can request a judge or a jury trial. The individual must testify and is subject to cross-examination. The defendant may or may not testify. If the defendant is found guilty the defense attorney can request an appeal.

If the defendant pleads guilty at the arraignment, there is a conviction which will result without the individual and defendant going to trial. The prosecuting and defense attorneys work out the specifics of a sentence through a plea bargain that is approved by the judge. There may be a pre-sentencing hearing ordered before a decision is made in regards to sentencing. This is a time when the judge will listen to victim impact statements – a statement on how the crime has affected the individual’s life. In considering a defendant’s sentencing, the judge will consider the past history of the defendant. The Women’s Resource Center Legal Advocates can accompany individuals to court and answer questions related to the court process.

How do I or should I tell my friends and family?

Who to tell and when to tell about the assault is a personal choice. However, the longer an individual keeps silent the more likely they will have increased mental, physical and emotional stress. One option is for the individual to talk their feelings through with a counselor or call a sexual assault crisis hotline. The Women’s Resource Center of the New River Valley has a hotline available at (540) 639-1123. All calls made to the Crisis Hotline are confidential. You also can call the Virginia Sexual Assault Center at (800) 838-8288 or visit them on the web at http://www.vsdvalliance.org/

This will be a difficult time for everyone. It is important for the individual to surround themselves with others who are supportive of their decisions and helpful in the recovery process. In addition to providing services to individuals who have directly experienced sexual violence, the Women’s Resource Center also can talk with those indirectly affected, which includes friends and family, providing there is permission from the primary individual involved.

What kind of support is available to me?

The Women’s Resource Center of the New River Valley is a non-profit organization that provides confidential services to individuals who have experienced sexual violence. There are 24-hour, on-call Emergency Advocates who can assist individuals at the hospital or at the police station. There is a 24-hour crisis hotline and shelter also available for individuals who have experienced sexual assault. These services can be accessed by calling (540) 639-1123. There are individual and group counseling opportunities for sexual assault survivors and adult survivors of child sexual abuse. The Women’s Resource Center also can help an individual to find out information and to discuss their options.

Could I have prevented the assault from happening?

There are still many myths and stereotypes that our society perpetuates by blaming the individual whom experienced the violence. It is important to remember that no matter what events may have lead up to the assault, the individual experiencing violence is never the one to blame for the assault. Only the perpetrator can stop an assault from happening. Although each individual experience is different, there are common reactions felt by individuals who have experienced sexual assault, which include but are not limited to: fear, shame, guilt, anger and loss of control. Even though the number of stranger rapes is fewer than the number of acquaintance rapes, the emotions individuals experience are still very similar.

What type of information will the media have access to?

An individual who experiences sexual violence does not have to speak to the media at any time. The media has the right to sit in on preliminary hearings and Circuit Court trials, but they are not allowed to release the names of juveniles. There could be a request to hear the preliminary hearing in private. If the judge approves the motion, then the media may not have access to the hearing. All Circuit Court hearings are open to the public. In many cases involving adults, the media can report the plaintiff’s name as well as the defendant. However, due to the seriousness of the crime, often the media will not release the name of the individual who experienced violence.