Warning Signs

You may be in an abusive relationship if you are:

• Physically afraid of dating your partner
• Feeling isolated, maybe even alone
• Losing your friends
• Changing your behavior because your dating partner is jealous
• Feeling embarrassed, put down, ashamed, or guilty
• Afraid to express your own feelings of anger
• Feeling nervous or sick when your dating partner is irritated, angry, or
• frustrated
• Afraid to make decisions for yourself
• Feeling that your date is touching you in an unwanted way
• Not having your requests for personal space respected
• Feeling like the relationship is moving too quickly or you are being
• pushed into a more serious relationship too quickly

Victim’s Rights

Victim Personal Rights:

• Feel free to ask questions of police, doctors, attorneys, counselors or agencies you are dealing with.
• Do not feel guilty or ashamed.
• It is normal to feel fear, anger, loneliness and helplessness.
• It is normal to act non-emotional, non-feeling or hysterical (all aspects of rape trauma syndrome).
• It is normal – often healthy – to cry.
• It is all right to want to be treated like a special person.
• You have the right to be loved – you have done nothing wrong.

Victim Legal Rights:

• You have the right to report the attack to law enforcement and expect that all avenues within the law will be pursued to apprehend and convict the offender.
• You have the right to make a report, but not proceed with prosecution.
• You have the right to file a third party report (for example, a rape crisis center reports the crime, but doesn’t not disclose your name)
• You have the right to do nothing.
• You have the right to restitution from the state violent crime victims’ compensation fund, and if you qualify, the right to file civil suit against the attacker.
• During the investigation and trail you have the right to be treated in a considerate and sensitive manner by law enforcement and prosecution personnel and to:
• Ask if a female officer is available for the initial investigation if it would be more comfortable for you;
• Feel free to have a person of your choice accompany you during all questionings or interview (family, friend, counselor);
• Feel free to ask questions about aspects of the police or medical reports so that you understand their purpose;
• Feel free to add to or change your initial statement as you recall the events more clearly.

Victim Medical Rights:

• You have the right to have a rape crisis counselor accompany you to the hospital
• You have the right to call your personal physician to attend you.
• You have the right to have privacy during the interview and examination.
• You have the right to have family, friends or a rape counselor present during questioning and examination.
• You have the right to have each procedure explained in detail before being administered.
• You have the right to gentleness and sensitivity during the examination.
• You have the right to an explanation of the reason for every test, form or procedure.
• You have the right to obtain available follow-up treatment and counseling.