Hotline number:

If you are a victim of sexual assault, there is a 24/7 hotline number for you to call the Sexual assault hotline number: 800-656-4673

Overview

In this wiki page we want to establish a since of urgency. we have provided a table of contents for our readers if they are looking for something specific. Throughout this wiki page we have provided some facts and statics about sexual assault in the Mclean County area. This page is to inform the readers about preventing sexual assault, knowing if you see something to say something and improve what resources we already have. We have also provided what a victim should and shouldn't do when wanting to report the assault to the police. The goal of this page is to educate and help those who have been assaulted and get the victims the right resources and quick as possible.

Women In Animation Group Combats Workplace Sexual Harassment

prevention

If girls need walked home in the nighttime making sure that you have a police officer that is willing to help girls home at night. Making sure on the nights that the college towns tend to party on such as Friday, Saturday make sure there is extra portal out so that the girls can be kept safe.

Improving

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The police departments are doing better at make sure they are investigating more into girls that are reporting sexual assault stuff. The Bloomington police department is also making it know that they are trying to make the community a better place to where sexual assault is not a big issue in our town.

Statistics Of Sexual Assault in Normal

According to the ICASA 65%(adult-victims-of-sexual-assault-2020.pdf (icasa.org ) of women have experienced St. harassment.23% of these women have been sexually touched and 20% of these women were followed. However, it's not just women that experience sexual harassment. In normal IL, 25% of men have experienced St. harassment in everyday life. Sexual assault happens anywhere one of the most common places is the more place. With 80% of women in the restaurant industry experiencing sexual assault from coworkers and 66% Of those women experience sexual assault from their management in the restaurant. And 50% of women know someone that has quit or been fired from a job because of sexual harassment in Normal. Another commonplace is at school, when 62% of female college students have been sexually harassed at their university and 80% of that is student to student. But it's not Just physical harassment. It's other forms of harassment such as verbal and cyber sexual. Verbal sexual assault is sexually explicit talk, homophobic slurs, repeated requests for a date after the person has said no. 77% of women report cases of verbal sexual assault or harassment. Cyber sexual assault is the use of a phone, text or computer to sexually harass others on the Internet.41% of women have reported being. Sexually harassed and assaulted through the internet.

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In a 2017 report ( nisvsReportonSexualViolence.pdf (cdc.gov ) talks about how nearly 1 in 4 women in the US report sexual coercion at some points in their lives. and before taking this survey that gathered this information, almost 4% of women sexual coercion. This survey also found that in 2017, sexual Harassment in a public place on women is about 10% which is about 1 in every 3 women in the United States.

Legal Process

When we are talking about the legal process, we are talking about the protocols and procedures that happens when sexual harassment has been reported. According to the Normal police department When a sexual assault case gets reported. The victim must do the following to better help collect evidence.

The victim must NOT:

Shower or bathe.
change or throw away any of your clothes or bedding.
Do not wash your hands or comb your hair.
Do not take any drugs or alcohol.
and do not disturb the area of the occurrence.

The sooner the victim calls the police, the easier it is for them to collect the evidence needed for the case, which in turn can help you win the case easier. To collect more valid evidence, it's easier to report the incident as soon as possible but the incident can be reported at any time. When a case gets reported in and the evidence is collected the victim is then showed what recourses are for them in the local community. Then the police then focuses more on catching the criminal that has assaulted the victim.

Options for the victim

There are many options for the victim when sexual assault occurs. However, calling 911 is one of the best and first things you should do. When an incident is reported, an officer will come to your place of residence with a document ready to answer any questions and give you basic information that you will need. Another option after the incident is reported is that you can be offered a sexual assault forensic exam or (SAFE) for short. This is to gather evidence and assure your medical and emotional well-being.

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If you do not feel safe filing a police report, the normal Police Department suggests that you talk to a trusted friend, family member or associate. For talking to someone from a professional organization who assists sexual assault victims. After the victims emotional and physical well-being has been checked. A police officer will start a police report which includes personal information and information about the crime itself. This part is normally hard for victims as it contains facts about the incident and they may also be asked about certain details, making them relive the assault. They will be asked to give a statement about what happened. After they have given a statement, the information will be passed to trained detectives to help move along the case. As everything would be a race against time to gather evidence and find the person who assaulted the victim.

More About SAFE

A Sexual assault forensic exam (SAFE) is a tool to help collect evidence from the victim. What Is a Sexual Assault Forensic Exam? | RAINN. It can be also known as a " Rape Kit". This is used to preserve and possible DNA. To receive a "rape kit" or SAFE you do not have to report the crime to have the exam. But the point is to give the victim a chance to collect evidence safely and in a safe environment.

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The term " Rape Kit" is actually a kit itself. it comes with bags and sheets to collect clothes that make be a part of evidence, comb. document forms, envelopes, instructions, materials for blood samples, and swabs. RAINN would like to remind victims that it is natural to want to take a shower or clean up after a traumatic experience such as sexually assault but it is important to not shower to try to preserve as much evidence as possible.

Idaho Releases First Report On Sexual Assault Kit Tracking System ...

During the exam the victim is allowed to stop, pause or skip a step if anything makes them feel uncomfortable.

The first step is immediate care. If they have any injures that need any medical attention those will be taken care of right away. Next will be their history. They will be asked about any current medications or existing or preexisting conditions. this will be very personal, but the questions are designed to ensures that the DNA collected is connected to the crime. Next is the head-to-toe examination. This part is based on the victims own personal experience. This is why it is important to give an accurate history. This includes an internal exam of the mouth, vagina or sometimes the anus. this also may include blood samples. The trained professionals will also take pictures of any marks or cuts you have on your body before they are healed.

if the victim is a minor the person preforming the exam may have to report the crime to law enforcement through mandatory reporting laws. Next the professionals that preformed the exam will follow up on you the following days after the exam to make sure you are okay and to help in any questions or issues you may have.

Helpful Numbers

•PATH/Stepping Stones (309) 827-4005/ Afterhours 211 or (888)865-9903

•NSVRC (877) 739-3895 Toll Free

•RAIN (800) 656-HOPE

Complications

Many complications can arise in a sexual assault case, causing it harder to move along with the case or get it to court. Studies show that. Women who have been sexually assaulted don't normally report right away, causing a lack of evidence making the case harder to win. Either those who were threatened into silence are also less likely to report the assault. Another issue is that the United States does not have a standard definition for consent due to something called rape myths. A rape myth is a prejudicial, stereotyped or false belief about rape victims and rapists.,

Another complication. When trying to make a sexual assault case is that victims with pre-existing mental health problems are not always believed in court due to these issues. Another problem is women having lack of faith in our judicial system due to a large number of cases where the perpetrator gets set free. Surveys showed that many. Committed more sexual assault than what they were charged for. With only three-point 3% of the assaults they committed resulting in their arrest and 5% of the salts identified in their official records.