KODE Medical Focus: Sexual Assault Program

KODE — April marks “National Sexual Assault Awareness Month.”

This year, the focus is on the risks that start online.

“In this case, she had befriended someone in a chat room. She was lonely,” said Gretchen Tyree, RN, Freeman SANE.

But Freeman Nurse Gretchen Tyree said in that case, it led to contact in person, in a motel room.

“This is a common story of drinks being spiked even today because you trust someone. That drink gets loaded and this person has absolutely had no clue what happened to her between then and when she drove herself home,” said Tyree.

Then later to the hospital and a Sexual Assault examination.

That kind of online risk is a big part of Sexual Assault Awareness Month this year.

“One of the things I think is really that’s really important, is that people be very careful about what they post online, about themselves, how much they reveal about themselves and also that they take anything that they find posted online with a big grain of salt because you don’t really know if what that other person is saying or posting is true,” added Karen Scott, RN, Freeman SANE.

They recommend watching out for red flags – like later meeting in person in isolated situations like a motel. Also never leave a drink unattended if you do meet.

“The other thing that we sometimes see is texting, sometimes the perpetrator will text and try to dissuade them or talk or you know, make excuses or you know, so the texting thing is also a factor,” said Scott.

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