Get Medical Attention
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Getting medical attention is important for addressing the physical consequences of any type of assault, even if you do not wish to press charges or collect evidence. If you can, seeking medical attention within 24 hours of a sexual assault is most ideal for medical and preventative treatment.
Survivors of sexual or physical assault can have health issues that include: bruising, cuts, abrasions, internal injuries not readily apparent or broken bones. Sexual assault survivors can also have additional health concerns such as: tearing or bruising of the labia, vaginal or anal wall, or urethra; sexually transmitted infections such as chlamydia, gonorrhea, and herpes; pregnancy; and HIV.
To seek medical assistance, you can go to a hospital emergency room, clinic or your primary care physician. If you are on campus, medical treatment can be obtained at:
University of Illinois Hospital Emergency Room
(312) 996-7298
1740 West Taylor
Chicago, IL. 60612
Family Medicine Center (East Side)
(312) 996-2901
University Village
722 W Maxwell Street, 2nd Floor
Chicago, IL 60607
Family Medicine Center (West Side)
(312) 996-2901
Outpatient Care Center, M/C 197
1801 West Taylor Street, Suite 4E
Chicago, IL. 60612
If you are off campus, call the Chicago Rape Crisis Hotline (1-888-293-2080) for information about which hospitals have advocates specifically trained to work with survivors of sexual assault. (All hospitals, however, treat survivors of sexual assault and have general support services.)
If you go to the emergency room, you will receive preventative care, treatment, and referrals to follow-up care, and you have the option of evidence collection (i.e. a rape kit). For sexual assault, the emergency room charge nurse should contact a medical advocate from Rape Victim Advocates to accompany you through the evidence collection process.
The emergency room will also contact the police. It is your choice whether or not you talk with the police. If you choose to talk with the police they will take information for a police report and this information will be forwarded to the Title IX Coordinator for investigation and the Office of the Dean of Students for the student conduct process if the respondent is a UIC student.
You do not have to pay for the emergency room or follow-up medical care required as a result of a sexual assault. For confidential treatment, you can choose not to disclose Campus Care or other insurance information and request that the costs be automatically billed through the Sexual Assault Survivors Emergency treatment Act (SASETA). Otherwise the statement for the emergency room visit will be sent to your permanent address.
Plan B (emergency contraceptive) can prevent a pregnancy up to 72 hours after intercourse. If you are 17 or over you can purchase Plan B without a prescription from a pharmacy. If you are under 17, you will need to get a prescription from a doctor.