Rights of Rape Victims

You have rights — at the hospital, at the police station, and in the courtroom. Our advocates know these rights well and will stand beside you through any part of the process.

24‑hr hotline: 1‑888‑966‑2350

Every victim of sexual assault should have the right:

To be treated with dignity and respect by institutional and legal personnel
To have as much credibility as a victim of any other crime
To be considered a victim of rape when any unwanted act of sex is forced on her/him through any type of coercion, violent or otherwise
To be asked only those questions that are relevant to a court case or medical treatment
To report or not report the rape to the police
To receive medical and mental health treatment, or participate in legal procedures only after giving her/his informed consent (information should include all options)
To be treated in a manner that does not usurp control from the victim, but which enables her/him to determine her/his needs and how to meet them
To not be exposed to prejudice against race, age, class, lifestyle or occupation
To have access to support persons, such as advocates, outside of the institutions
To have access to peer counseling
To be provided with information about her/his rights
To have the best possible collection of evidence for court
To not be asked questions about prior sexual experience
To have common reactions to rape such as sleeplessness, nightmares, hostility towards men, anxiety, fear etc. and not be considered pathological behavior
To have access to a secure living situation or other measures that might help to allay fears of future assault
To be assured strict confidentiality
To be considered a victim of rape regardless of the assailant's relationship to the victim, such as the victim's spouse
To have deterred her/his assailant by any means necessary. No victim should be criminally prosecuted for harming the assailant during or within a reasonable period of time after the rape; or for harming the assailant in the process of preventing an attempted rape
To receive medical treatment without parental consent if she/he is a minor
To have access to legal advice
To have a preliminary hearing in each case when an arrest has been made
To have the case prosecuted by criminal justice personnel who support them if the case goes to court
To be advised of the possibility of a civil suit

— Rape Crisis Center, Washington DC 1976

If any of these rights were not respected, or you want an advocate beside you while you decide what to do next, call 1‑888‑966‑2350 any time.