Full Answer
What should be included in a sexual assault treatment plan?
The plan should ensure that capable, trained personnel and appropriate equipment are available for treating sexual assault patients. Each community plan should address the medical, psychological, safety, and legal needs of the sexually assaulted patient.
What are the presumptive treatments for sexual assault-related infections?
Consequently, the following routine presumptive treatments after a sexual assault are recommended: An empiric antimicrobial regimen for chlamydia, gonorrhea, and trichomonas for women and chlamydia and gonorrhea for men. Emergency contraception should be considered when the assault could result in pregnancy (see Emergency Contraception).
What kind of therapy do you get after a sexual assault?
Therapy for Trauma After Sexual Assault. Others may need to refer you to a psychiatrist or other physician with prescribing rights. They may prescribe antidepressants for the first six to 12 months after the occurrence of the sexual assault. These medicines can help with intrusive thoughts, sleep problems, flashbacks, and anxiety.
How can I help a survivor of sexual abuse and assault?
Continuing to build up self-soothing skills also promotes confidence and a sense of mastery and agency in the survivor of sexual abuse and assault. GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR TREATMENT
What is the number one drug to facilitate sexual assault?
AlcoholAlcohol remains the most commonly used drug in crimes of sexual assault. Drugs being used by perpetrators in crimes of sexual assault include, but are not limited to, Rohypnol, GHB (Gamma Hydroxybutyric Acid), GBL (Gamma-Butyrolactone), and ketamine. In certain amounts, any drug can leave you helpless.
Where is the first place a victim will usually go to for treatment after having been sexually victimized select one?
To locate a center that provides medical care after rape, call a local or national sexual assault hotline, available in the United States by calling 1-800-656-4673 (HOPE). Some hotlines offer a trained crisis counselor to accompany you to the hospital; alternately, a supportive friend or family member can go with you.
What to do if you are sexually harassed in the workplace?
Tell your harasser to stop. If you do not feel safe or comfortable doing this, do your best to make it clear to the harasser that the offensive behavior is unwelcome. Report the harassment to management and ask that something be done to stop it. Report the harassment to a person with decision-making authority.
What is a goal for therapy in counseling abuse victims?
Rebuilding self-esteem is a common goal in therapy. Most forms of abuse can break one's confidence. Cognitive behavioral therapy can help you challenge unrealistic expectations of yourself.
What to do after sexual assault?
After reporting the sexual assault to the authorities and obtaining medical attention that includes a forensic examination and preventive treatments, all victims of sexual assault should seek therapy for trauma. The health care provider that performs your medical examination and law enforcement officials you speak to during ...
How long do you have to prescribe antidepressants after a sexual assault?
Others may need to refer you to a psychiatrist or other physician with prescribing rights. They may prescribe antidepressants for the first six to 12 months after the occurrence of the sexual assault.
What is the purpose of counseling centers?
The counseling center should provide a safe and supportive environment to augment the process of healing from the sexual assault. Most of these centers have professional counselors that can offer therapy for trauma received from childhood sexual assault or adult survivors of sexual violence.
Can sexual assault be a prominent role in your life?
By seeking help and healing your emotional wounds, the effects of sexual assault won't play a prominent role in your life. You may also find you're able to provide this priceless help to another victim of sexual assault. (See: Sexual Assault Support: Why You Need It, Where to Find It) Gluck, S. (2012, July 25).
What is sexual assault nursing?
Sexual Assault Nursing Care Plan. Sexual assault is defined as a sexual contact or behavior that occurs against the will of the person. It is a form of a sexual violence that includes rape (a non-consensual vaginal, anal, oral penetration, done by force or threat of bodily harm), forced kissing, groping, child sexual abuse, or drug-facilitated sex.
What is a form of sexual violence?
It is a form of a sexual violence that includes rape (a non-consensual vaginal, anal, oral penetration, done by force or threat of bodily harm), forced kissing, groping, child sexual abuse, or drug-facilitated sex.
What does a survivor do in a crisis?
Survivor will speak to a community-based rape victim advocate in the emergency department or crisis center. Survivor will have an access to information on obtaining competent legal council. Survivor will begin to express reactions and feelings about the assault before leaving the emergency department or crisis center.
What does a survivor have?
Survivor will have a resolution of anger, guilt, fear, depression, low self-esteem. Survivor will acknowledge the right do disclose and discuss abusive situations. Survivor will list common physical, emotional, and social reactions that often follow a sexual assault before leaving the emergency department or crisis center.
What is an ACEP sexual assault?
The sexually assaulted patient, who may be an adult or child of either sex, presents special medical, psychological, and legal needs. ACEP believes that all patients who report a sexual assault are entitled to prompt access to emergency medical care and competent collection of evidence that will assist in the investigation and prosecution ...
What is the ACEP guidelines?
ACEP has therefore developed the following guidelines: With the cooperative efforts of local governments, law enforcement agencies, hospitals, courts, and other relevant organizations, each county, state or other geographic area should establish a community plan to deal with the sexually assaulted patient. The plan should ensure that capable, ...
What is an alternative medical site?
A community may elect to establish, under the supervision of a physician, an alternative medical site, which specializes in the care of the sexually assaulted patient and provides medical and psychological support capabilities when no other injuries are evident.
What is a nurse examiner for sexual assault?
In some centers, a sexual assault nurse examiner (SANE) who has extensive training and experience is responsible for examining the victim for injuries, providing objective documentation, and collecting evidence while maintaining chain of custody and offering support and community referrals.
How long after a sexual assault can you get HIV?
HIV-postexposure prophylaxis may be offered if the patient presents within 72 hours after a sexual assault, but its use is controversial in cases in which the perpetrator is not known or is suspected to be HIV-positive. In the absence of data from randomized trials, evidence for the use of HIV prophylaxis in cases of sexual assault is extrapolated from studies of maternal–fetal transmission and exposure of health care workers. Treatment with antiretroviral agents in these circumstances decreases the rate of transmission of HIV by 70 to 80%. 34,35
How much levonorgestrel is safe after rape?
Pregnancy Prevention. The risk of pregnancy after rape is approximately 5%. 30 Progestin-only emergency contraception (1.5 mg of levonorgestrel), which is administered as a one-time dose within 120 hours after unprotected intercourse, has been shown to be 98.5% effective in preventing pregnancy.
What should the examiner take care of?
The examiner should take care to explain each step of the examination process and the reasons behind each step. The patient should be given the opportunity to determine the pace of the examination and be reminded of the option of declining any part of the examination. Figure 2. Figure 2.
Does gonorrhea cover syphilis?
29 Syphilis is less prevalent, and prophylaxis for gonorrhea may also provide coverage for syphilis.
Is rape a legal term?
Rape is a legal term and in the United States refers to any penetration of a body orifice (mouth, vagina, or anus) involving force or the threat of force or incapacity (i.e., associated with young or old age, cognitive or physical disability, or drug or alcohol intoxication) and noncon sent.
Do men report physical injuries?
Men who report physical injuries may be more hesitant to report the sexual component of an assault. 10. Even in the absence of physical injury, which occurs in about half of cases, victims are often frightened, emotionally traumatized, and embarrassed.
What is the final phase of trauma therapy?
The final phase in this model is focused on the trauma narrative. It is at this point in the therapeutic process that clients are displaying and self-reporting more stable emotional and cognitive-related responses to stress and more effective use of healthy coping skills.
What is psychosocial assessment?
The psychosocial assessment covers basic client-related information familiar to most mental health providers. This assessment provides insights regarding a client’s familial, medical and work-related history, in addition to current issues and past functionality.
What is phase 2 trauma?
In phase 2, I encourage clients to take a break from our immediate focus on the sexual trauma and to instead explore their perceived strengths. This action facilitates the instillation of hope. This phase deviates slightly from other trauma-focused therapies by offering clients allotted time to engage in intrapersonal exploration that is separate from their trauma. This approach is geared toward a focus on what they still have versus what they feel they have lost.
What is phase 4 of psychotherapy?
Phase 4 is primarily focused on emotion-based responses and interventions, along with the incorporation of mindfulness. I purposefully separate this from and have it follow the cognitive phase because I have found there are residual and intense emotional responses that often outweigh clients’ abilities to rationalize or self-soothe. Clients with complex trauma or a lack of effective coping skills often report numbness, a sense of disconnect from their bodies, intense and seemingly uncontrollable anxiety responses, and self-harming or self-medicating behaviors in various forms. In this phase, I primarily use Gestalt-based interventions to help clients better understand mind-body communication as it relates to emotional response.
What is the first step in trauma assessment?
Phase 1 primarily consists of effective assessment skills, identification of presenting problems and initiating the first steps toward building rapport and developing language (matching age-appropriate terms, paralleling word usage, avoiding trigger words, etc.) that is most effective for the client. The amount of time spent in this phase typically ranges from one to three sessions depending on the client’s trauma history, presentation and comfort with therapy, and assessment of the client’s basic needs.
Why is it important for counselors to maintain a high level of empathy?
During this phase, it is imperative for counselors to maintain a high level of empathy to create an environment of acceptance and comfort. Many survivors of sexual assault struggle with feelings of shame, guilt, embarrassment and defectiveness, and have a decreased level of trust in others who are outside their identified support systems.