Sexual assault is one of the most underreported crimes in our society today. When you work with San Miguel Resource Center, you can expect care that is confidential, supportive, and empathetic. Read below to learn more and understand your options. If you or a loved one has experienced sexual assault, contact our helpline immediately to speak to an advocate.
At SMRC, we define sexual assault as “any unwanted sexual action, whether physical or emotional, that is perceived as a violation of one’s own wishes or desires”. Whether it was a friend, family member, significant other, teacher, coworker, neighbor, etc., your experience matters. If you feel uncomfortable about any type of behavior, from any person, we are here to support you.
Sometimes it is tough to know if what you experienced is a sexual assault. There are many forms of sexual violence, and these include:
Non-consensual touching of body parts or genitals.
Non-consensual sexual advances; requests for sexual favors directly affecting your job, school performance, or other parts of your life, if rejected; and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature.
Non-consensual sexual intercourse or sexual acts with a friend, partner, spouse, or another person when you did not give consent.
Sexual contact of any kind by a helping professional (teacher, doctor, therapist, priest, police officer, and others) toward a client.
Sexual contact inflicted on someone who is legally unable to grant consent.
The common element in all sexual assaults is that one person in the encounter does not give consent to the sexual activity. Therefore, any sexual contact occurring without your explicit consent is sexual assault. If you are a minor, you may not legally be able to consent to any kind of sexual activity based on the age of the perpetrator and state law. Drugs and alcohol can affect one’s ability to give consent, whether someone has chosen to drink and/or do drugs or a perpetrator gives a survivor drugs and/or alcohol without consent. Choosing to drink or use drugs does not give another person permission to hurt you.
Another important component to remember is most sexual assaults are committed by someone the person knows. The perpetrator could be a date, neighbor, partner, acquaintance, or a trusted friend. In these cases, it is common to feel confused and betrayed.
The feelings you may be having after a sexual assault can be overwhelming and confusing. You may be trying to figure out what happened, who to tell, whether to tell anyone, and/or what your next steps should be. In addition, there are likely many questions specific to your experience and needs. All of these questions, thoughts, and considerations can limit our ability to make decisions. It sometimes feels easier to do nothing, than something, because it all feels so tough.
SMRC is a confidential resource for you to talk through your needs, questions, and options. You don’t have to know what you want or need to use our services.
In the state of Colorado, you do have options. Colorado recognizes that, sometimes, you just need time to know what it is you want to do and to understand what is available to you.
SMRC Can Help
At SMRC, we can help all victims of sexual assault, regardless of your decision to report. If you choose not to report, you will still be welcome to meet with one of our advocates and access all of our services.
If you choose to report, our advocates can sit with you while you report to police, help navigate the process after reporting and explain the paperwork, and accompany you throughout the court proceedings.
Source(s): You Have the Right CO, The Blue Bench
You might consider seeking help at a medical facility that provides specialized sexual assault survivor care. These programs, called Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) or Forensic Nurse Examiner (FNE) programs, employ specially trained nurses who can work with you to document the assault and make sure you are okay, as well as collect evidence if you would like.
Not every sexual assault survivor sustains physical injury, such as cuts and bruises. In fact, it is really common for survivors not to have any visible injury. The absence of a physical injury does not mean you didn’t experience an assault. It also doesn’t mean you shouldn’t seek medical care.
Find more information about SANEs and SAFEs here.
In the state of Colorado, you have a variety of reporting options. If you choose to seek medical care and have evidence of the assault collected, there are three “reporting” options available to adults aged 18-69 years old (who are not living with an intellectual developmental disability). In two of the options, you can seek medical care, have evidence collected, and not be asked to work with or even speak with the police.
The term “reporting” is used for all three options, but only one of them means you would be “reporting” to the police.
Find more information about your reporting options here.
In 2021, San Miguel Resource Center:
Served 174 clients
139 domestic violence survivors
18 sexual assault survivors
26 survivors of other crimes
35 Latinx clients
58 West End clients
419 in-person contacts with clients
942 phone contacts with clients
Provided safehousing for 12 adults and 2 children
Facilitated 352 youth-targeted presentations
Facilitated 76 community outreach/awareness presentations
Sexual Assault Statistics
According to FBI estimates, 1 in 3 women will be sexually assaulted in her lifetime.
1 in 4 girls and 1 in 6 boys are sexually assaulted before age 18.
4 out of 5 rape victims/survivors know their attacker.
10% of sexual assault victims are men in the US.
70 percent of all rapes involve the use of alcohol and drugs.
1 in 4 sexual assaults occur in the victim’s home, making it the most common place for an assault to occur.
Only 16 percent of rapes are reported to law enforcement.
Take a look at our “What to Expect When You Contact Us” page to learn more about next steps and what happens when you reach out to SMRC.
