Rape is defined as sexual intercourse forced on a person without his or her permission. The most useful rape prevention tool available is to be more aware about rape. Always trust your instincts if you are somewhere or with someone that does not feel safe and comfortable.
The following safety tips may help reduce your chances of being raped:
When out by yourself:
At parties or in other social situations, take the following steps:
Through no fault of your own, you may find yourself in situations where you are being pressured into sexual activities you do not want. Some things you may try include:
RESOURCES
Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network - www.rainn.org
Date rape - prevention; Sexual assault - prevention
Lentz GM. Rape, incest, and domestic violence: Discovery, management, counseling. In: Katz VL, Lentz GM, Lobo RA, Gershenson DM, eds. Comprehensive Gynecology. 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Mosby Elsevier;2007:chap 10.
Linden JA. Care of the adult patient after sexual assault. N Engl J Med. 2011;365:834-841.
Slaughter L. Sexual assault. In: Marx JA, ed. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 7th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Mosby Elsevier; 2009:chap 64.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Sexual assault and STDs. In: Sexually transmitted diseases treatment guidelines, 2010. MMWR Recomm Rep. 2010;17(59)(RR-12):90-95.
Updated by: Linda J. Vorvick, MD, Medical Director and Director of Didactic Curriculum, MEDEX Northwest Division of Physician Assistant Studies, Department of Family Medicine, UW Medicine, School of Medicine, University of Washington. Susan Storck, MD, FACOG, Chief, Eastside Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Group Health Cooperative of Puget Sound, Bellevue, Washington; Clinical Teaching Faculty, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Health Solutions, Ebix, Inc.
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