When a sexual assault happens, people tend to feel differently. Some people get upset, some feel scared, and some need medical attention. All of this is normal, and the victim needs to take some time to process the incident. The victim could feel ashamed, guilty, and have low self-esteem after such an incident. And sometime, victim choose not to report the incident. Victims automatically think that society would think low of them if they knew that a person has been sexually assaulted. Sexual assault of any kind is not the victim’s fault but unfortunately, influential people tend to get away with crimes, but victims are painted with guilt. But things are starting to get better and if you have been sexually assaulted or someone you know who had been sexually assaulted, you can seek legal advice from a sexual assault lawyer.
Although it is up to you if you want to file a report of sexual assault against your perpetrator but if you don’t do it, the perpetrator will do this to another person at another time and the cycle will never stop. At the end of the day, if you are not doing it for yourself then do it for others who might be the victim of that perpetrator. You may be shaken up after the incident and that’s okay, but it would be better to report the incident because it can be the key to putting the perpetrator behind bars after legal proceedings. It doesn’t matter if you don’t recognize the person who assaulted, a mere description would be a lead for police investigation. If the police report is processed, you might need a lawyer that can handle such cases. If you contact a legal firm, they can get you in touch with any kind of lawyer given your situation. For instance, if you have been accused of theft by someone, you can get a theft lawyer.
If you are planning to register a report of sexual assault, there are some common concerns that you should know. These can help you navigate your incident better. So have a look.
Exposing the perpetrator:
It has been reported that the majority of victims tend to know the perpetrator. Usually, these people are from their families or social circle. It is better to expose them so that they cannot repeat the same thing. Sadly, sometimes sexual assault happens with your partner. It would still be considered sexual assault by force if he/she is your partner.
The severity of assault:
An important aspect of sexual assault is documenting the severity of the assault. Some victims may have fought their attacker to escape from the situation and during that, the incident could have been discovered by another person. You need to report all of these things because if you don’t, it could be taken out of context. Just know that sexual assault in any form is illegal and punishable by law.
Consequences:
Victims tend to worry about the consequences if they report. What if the perpetrator comes back and threatens me? What if I can’t get a job ever if this gets out? Such consequences can make things worse that’s why many organizations exist that keep people safe from perpetrators.