First, I have to say I hope those of you, male or female, who haven't experienced the unforgivable crime of rape are lucky enough to live a long, full life without ever finding out what it's like firsthand. The violation of your body is bad enough. Throw in the lifelong scars, the Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome (which leads many to suicide) and the tendency of certain vicious fucks to turn victims into instigators, and it's no wonder the U.S. Justice Department estimates only 26 percent of female rape victims report their experience. And, in my opinion, the sterile, almost scientific procedure those who do come forward must go through at the hospital doesn't make it any easier for women, in particular, to come forward. Who wants to be poked, prodded and questioned in a cold, sterile environment? Especially when all you really want to do is fall into a fetal position in a corner of a dark room until death takes away your pain.

But nothing comes from nothing. If you know the bastard who raped you, be it friend, family or acquaintance, go to the police and make the fucker pay. If the assailant was a stranger, please, for the love of God, get yourself to a hospital to receive the medical attention you will definitely need. The hospital experience can be a frightening one, but it's necessary nonetheless. To perhaps make it just the slightest bit easier, here's what you can expect:

For hospitals, handling a rape victim requires an extremely strict protocol. Before the victim can be examined, the police are summoned to discuss the circumstances of the crime, and discover what, if anything, you remember. The officer or officers will have brought with them a sealed, police rape kit, containing legal forms, a comb, tubes for blood, sealed cotton swabs and nine envelopes. The kit is given to the attending physician and nurse, who then perform an examination and collect evidence from the victims body, which is stowed in the nine envelopes. They contain:

Envelope No. 1: The first envelope holds combings from the victim's pubic hair. Paper towel is placed beneath the buttocks, the pubic hair is combed, and the collected material, paper towel and comb are all placed in the envelope.

Envelope No. 2: Scrapings and debris from the victim's body and/or clothing are collected next. Common fragments found include hair, glass, sand, dirt, gravel, dried blood and tar particles.

Envelope No. 3: This envelope is reserved for scrapings from beneath a victim's fingernails, along with cuttings of the nails themselves. Take my advice: Gouge the shit out of your attacker. That is, of course, if you don't have any keys, rings, earrings, hair clips/sticks or other accouterments that can potentially cause extensive damage. Especially when jammed in an eye socket.

Envelope No. 4: Twelve strands of the victim's hair is taken next. (When I contacted my local police department to find out exactly why they settled on the number 12, the Barney Fife-ish caricature of a cop on the phone had "absolutely no idea.")

Envelope No. 5: This pouch contains 12 of the victim's pubic hairs.

Envelope No. 6: A sample of the victim's sputum (expectorated matter, including saliva and other substances, such as phlegm from the respiratory tract) is taken.

Envelope No. 7: Lucky number seven contains cotton swabs which have been used to wipe the external genitalia, as well as the vulva of a woman or the anus of a man.

Envelope No. 8: This envelope holds more cotton swabs, these used to take internal samples of the victim's vagina, anus and mouth.

Envelope No. 9: The last envelope holds a 10 cc. vial of the victim's blood.

Each envelope is sealed, signed and dated by the doctor after each respective piece of evidence is obtained. Once all nine envelope have been filled, the entire collection is returned to the kit, which is also sealed, signed and dated before being given back to the officer.

The entire collection procedure is over relatively quickly, less than an hour, which is a pretty short period of discomfort to deal with in exchange for an increased chance of catching your gutless, piece of shit attacker.

Now go get some therapy. You really can't heal fully without it, and therapy will teach you how to deal, how to feel, and be a strong, assuring reminder of how not alone you are.

Kling ( kling@toosquare.com )

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