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Going to the Hospital
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Northwestern University Health Service - Evanston > Health Promotion & Wellness > Going to the Hospital
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- As soon as you can after the assault occurs, consider going to the emergency room at Evanston Hospital [http://www.northshore.org/]. At the emergency room, doctors and nurses can treat any injuries, test for and treat sexually transmitted infections, and test for pregnancy.
- If possible, the survivor should not shower, bathe, douche, or change clothes or bedding before going to the hospital. If you do change clothes, do not wash the clothes you were wearing during the assault, and bring them with you to the hospital.
- A doctor or nurse will call an advocate from Evanston Victim Services that is trained to assist survivors in understanding medical and evidence collection procedures.
- A nurse will also call the Evanston or University Police Department and an officer will come to the emergency room to speak with the survivor. If s/he does not feel comfortable doing so, the survivor does not have to speak with the police or with the victim advocate.
- The survivor has the right to request that a support person such as a friend or partner stay with her/him in the emergency room, and s/he has the right to request that every procedure be explained.
- The survivor has the option of having a rape evidence collection kit taken. S/he must give consent for evidence to be collected. During evidence collection, the doctors or nurses will search the survivorÃs body and belongings for materials that may help to identify the perpetrator or strengthen a court case. Evidence collection procedures include oral, genital, and rectal swabs, hair combings, and fingernail specimens. The survivor can decline consent to some evidence collection procedures and undergo others. If you are undecided about reporting the assault to police or prosecuting the perpetrator, you can consent to the evidence collection, but request that it not be released to law enforcement until you decide whether or not you want the police to conduct an investigation. An evidence collection kit can be completed up to one week after the assault, and the hospital can hold the completed kit for up to two weeks after the evidence is collected.
- If the survivor suspects that a "date rape drug" such as GHB or rohypnol was used, medical personnel can perform a urinary drug test. For information about the effects of date rape drugs, visit http://www.womenshealth.gov/faq/date-rape-drugs.cfm. Date rape drugs pass quickly through the body, so it is important to get tested as soon as possible after the assault. The urine sample can be held up to 48 hours before testing, so if you are unsure if you want a drug test, you can give a urine sample and ask that it is held until you make your decision.
- Emergency contraception can be dispensed within 120 hours of assault in order to reduce risk of unwanted pregnancy. Emergency contraception can also be purchased at Health Service or other pharmacies. For more information about emergency contraception, visit http://ec.princeton.edu/.
- Victims of sexual assault are not required to pay for any examinations or services that they receive during their visit to the emergency room. You will not receive any bill. If you have private health insurance, the hospital will attempt to collect payment from them. If you do not have health insurance or do not want charges to appear on your insurance statement, the bill will be covered by the state.
If you choose not to go to the emergency room, consider seeing a private doctor or a clinician at NU Health Service in order to treat injuries, test for sexually transmitted infections and pregnancy, and obtain emergency contraception.
Evanston Victim Services Program
1454 Elmwood Ave
Evanston, IL 60201
847 866-5015
Evanston Hospital
2650 Ridge Ave
Evanston, IL 60201
847 570-2000
847 570-2111 (Emergency Room)
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