The world of dating has changed a lot – from meeting friends of friends to meeting someone you have met online. Though technology has made lives easier, the internet is still a murky place. You can never know who is what behind that profile picture and genuine looking messages. 90% of people who have faced assault are women and around 60% know their assailants. Many women have also been sexually assaulted during a date, which is scary as that is the only way, many find potential long-term partners.
Sexual assault is not necessarily just rape, it includes any sexual activity that a woman hasn’t agreed to. It includes rape, molestation, attempted rape, inappropriate touch, vaginal or oral penetration or forced sexual intercourse.
Go to an emergency room – If a woman has been sexually assaulted the first thing she should do is check if she is gravely injured or not. Such assaults often cause grievous injuries and mustn’t be ignored. A woman’s health is super important and first she must ensure that she is physically fine. She should get herself checked and medicated if needed. This is the absolute first thing she must do.
Report it – The woman must report the assault to the correct authorities. This could be a rape crisis centre or the police. Reporting to the right authorities will ensure that the same doesn’t happen again to the same or different woman. It is not right for the perpetrator to commit a crime like this and then get away with it as well.
Be vocal – The woman shouldn’t hide and try to play down the incident. If a woman has been sexually assaulted during a date, then the chance is that the perpetrator is counting on the woman to keep quiet. But make as much noise as you can to attract attention and get him caught. People like this must be caught and registered with the law enforcement.
Hire an investigator – Chances are that if your date has done it with you then he could have assaulted someone else as well. You could try to hire private investigation services to find out more about him especially if you found him online. Having some concrete information on his real identity can lead the law enforcement to him. And if he is caught and put behind bars, then more women will be safe.
Be strong and find support – Try to be strong, even if you don’t feel like it. Find support with someone you trust, talk to them and confide in them. At this time, the woman needs to begin the process of healing and talking or counselling is the right step in that direction. It may not be possible to heal overnight as the injuries could be physical and emotional. The physical wounds may heal, but it is the emotional ones that will take time.
Believe you aren’t to blame – This could be a trying time, so you need to believe that you are not to blame for what has happened. Various thoughts could be going through your mind as you try to digest information and all may not be positive. But it is important to know who was wrong here – as it wasn’t you.