Ways you can help a victim:

• Be informed: know what services are available in your community for victims, and read some of the information in the links to the left for information for yourself
• Be prepared for extreme personality changes in a victim: She or he may exhibit wide mood swings, may be in a state of shock, may bust into tears or panic for no apparent reason, or may be hostile towards you. This is especially true if you are visiting a victim of sexual assault in a hospital: you must be prepared for anything when you walk into the hospital room
• Be calm, but not cold, or indifferent. If the victim senses that his/her experience is upsetting you, or that you would rather not discuss it at all, the victim may withdraw from your vital support
• Be sensitive: if you are probing for details, or asking questions that indicate that you are more interested in the assault/abuse than victim's feeling, it can cause further hurt. Never insinuate that the attack could have been prevented or avoided. A discussion of retaliation against the perpetrator will also increase the victim's trauma
• Be cautious about helping too much. Don't be overprotective, or take over the victim's decision-making. If you do, you will be doing the same thing the perpetrator did - robbing the victim of his/her dignity and choice
• Be available to the victims needs as a person, not just a victim. Though the assault/abuse occurred, and is probably at the forefront of the victim's mind, he/she has other things in her life.
• Call the Diane Peppler Resource Center. We are trained to deal with victims, and know resources and support available in the community