As if the experience was not traumatic enough, the act of rape brings in a host of haunting questions.
Will every day be another opportunity to silently suffer to the replay of the events in your mind? Must you live with the constant reminder of the one-time assault, a lifetime of STD infections? In the coming months, will there be a growing, breathing remnant of the past?
"In dealing with the issue of rape, all acts afterwards are very time-sensitive," said Lisa G. Perks, executive director of Planned Parenthood of Central Ohio. "At Planned Parenthood, we are aware of this and do our best to get the survivors the care they need in a timely fashion. We want them to know they have options."
Planned Parenthood of Central Ohio has been a resource for women's health since 1932. It began as a safety-net for women in the Depression seeking help with planning their families. Over the decades, it has evolved into a facility offering gynecological medical exams, including annual pap smears and breast exams, birth control information, pregnancy-related issues, as well as screening and treatment of sexually transmitted infections. All these services are offered regardless of income to women of all ages at discounted fares.
Planned Parenthood of Central Ohio is the largest provider for gynecological care for low to moderate-income women and have helped more than 36,000 women in the Central Ohio region.
In regards to rape, Planned Parenthood serves as a strictly confidential resource for medical and emotional help.
"We like to think of ourselves as a 'one-stop shop,' in regards to this issue from pharmacy to pregnancy tests to sexually transmitted infections tests," Perks said.
An option offered by Planned Parenthood for those with an unwanted pregnancy resulting from a forced sexual assault, is the emergency contraceptive or "the morning after" pill. The pills are a combined seriously high dosage of contraceptive, which, if taken within 72 hours, can prevent pregnancy by more than 89 percent. If taken up to 24 hours after the incident, the effectiveness rate moves up to 95 percent.
"The pill works like regular birth control would at a higher magnitude," Perks said. "It inhibits ovulation by preventing fertilization."
The emergency contraceptive pill is FDA approved and is most effective in women of child-bearing years between the ages of 18 and 44. The most common form of emergency contraception consists of taking two to three pills containing high levels of progestin and estrogen within five days of the assault. It is also effective in women who might normally be unable to consume birth control because of medical conditions.
The pills are not effective, however, if the woman is already pregnant.
"The only thing we may stress about emergency contraception is that it is for 'emergency use' only and should not be an ongoing form of protection against pregnancy," Perks said.
Planned Parenthood also offers tests and screenings for sexually transmitted diseases.
"Most of the women have showered by the time they come to us, so the DNA of the suspected has diminished," said Susie Bluestone, a certified nurse practitioner for Planned Parenthood of Central Ohio. "However, we can still at that time test for HIV/AIDS and other STIs (sexually transmitted infections)."
Bluestone stresses the need for fast action for rape survivors and encourages them to get a rape kit from Planned Parenthood of Central Ohio or a local emergency room. Planned Parenthood can also act as a supplementary resource because not all hospitals offer emergency contraceptive or long-term counseling and advocacy.
Counseling is a service needed by most survivors as a consolation to the emotional scars suffered.
"When the women have expressed that they have had sex without their consent, we give them a 'crisis card' with the number to Sexual Assault Response Network of Central Ohio, which offers a 24-hour rape help line for emotional support," Bluestone said.
Other support networks recommended are Rape Abuse Incest National Network, Choices, a Columbus city-wide support program for domestic violence victims, as well as OSU's Campus Advocacy program.
"We have advocates who are on-call on campus, who work with (Sexual Assault Response Network of Central Ohio) and are willing to come to residence halls or apartments on campus to give support to survivors," said Nancy Radcliffe, the Campus Advocacy program coordinator in the Rape Education and Prevention Program.
The Rape Education and Prevention Program also offers programs for students to take to learn more about sexual assault and prevention such as the healthy sexual behavior, gender socialization and communication, crisis intervention as well as the prevention strategies for women and men program that offers free self-defense classes. The program also analyzes and discusses rape culture and sexual interaction between sexes.
Campus Advocacy and Sexual Assault Response Network of Central Ohio offered long-term assistance, even to those whose experience with sexual assault happened years ago.
"It does not matter that it happened yesterday, last year or five years ago," Bluestone said. "What matters is that it happened, and that the survivor gets the care and support they need."
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