For crisis intervention or mental distress: Provincial Mental Health and Addictions Crisis Line:
1-888-429-8167

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Good2Talk: 1-833-292-3698
or text GOOD2TALKNS to 686868

Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner program for the Halifax area:
902-425-0122

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Latin American Female

Go directly to a doctor or nurse

I think the first thing I would say [if a friend came to me for advice following a sexual assault] is go directly to a doctor or nurse as soon as possible so you can have proof or evidence of what happened to you. Because if you wait, if you take like a long time of doing that, at the end you have little evidence and the other person can take that against you, like, "you made everything up, you don’t have evidence so how can I believe you’ so?" So the first thing I would say is just like go to the doctor and get an evidence of what happened.

Recommendations

  • Promote SANE nurses as supporters for victims/survivors. Ideally, this would happen in the context of a formal partnership with SANE nurses, which includes 24/7 availability of SANE nurse services on campus.

  • Emphasize the victim's right to decide whether they would like to report the incident after they have disclosed it to the university. Ensure the victim is aware of the formal and informal routes for reporting, including the option of reporting to the police. Clearly communicate any limits to confidentiality.

  • Provide students with information about what can serve as evidence of sexual assault for the purposes of a university investigation. This information should appear in the policy itself and in educational materials about the policy.