According to the National Crime Victims Research and Treatment Center, more than 330,000 rapes occur each year in Texas.

Understanding Sexual Assault
Sexual assault, or rape, is a violent crime, NOT a sexual act. The myth that men who rape women are sexually deprived or pathological has begun to be dispelled and replaced with the understanding that rape is an act of power and control, rather than lust.

Indentifying Sexual Assault
~ Sexual assault is defined as ANY sexual contact against a woman's (or man's) will and without his/her consent.

~ No one is allowed to force you to have any kind of sexual contact for any reason.

~ It doesn't matter if you were drinking or on a date.

~ It does not matter if you know the person as an acquaintance or if you have ever had sex with that person before.

What To Do If You Are Sexually Assaulted
If you have been sexually assaulted:

~ Get to a safe place.

~ Do not shower, bathe, douche, wash your hands, brush your teeth or use the toilet.

~ Don't change or destroy clothing.

~ Don't straighten up. As hard as it may be not to clean up yourself or the area in which the assault happened, you may destroy evidence crucial to the apprehension of the perpetrator.

~ Get medical attention as soon as possible.

~ Contact a friend or family member you trust.

~ Call the Crisis Center Hotline at 1-800-232-8519. We have advocates who are specially trained to help victims deal with sexual assault and its effects, and our hotline is completely safe and confidential.