Help is available, and you have options: These KC groups support sexual assault survivors
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If you or a loved one are a survivor of sexual assault, you are not alone, and help is available in Kansas City.
You can access resources and advice for free from a number of community advocacy groups in addition to institutions like hospitals, law enforcement, your university and the criminal justice system.
Sexual assault help numbers
Help is available regardless of the circumstances of your assault. If you’re not sure whether you’ve been sexually assaulted, these resources can help you talk through what happened. Even if your assault happened a long time ago, it’s not too late to seek help.
Metropolitan Organization to Counter Sexual Assault (MOCSA): This Kansas City based organization can help you navigate your options and send someone to accompany you to the hospital, to the police station and to court. Call their 24-hour crisis hotline at 816-531-0233 in Missouri or 913-642-0233 in Kansas.
Kansas City Anti-Violence Project (KCAVP): This nonprofit provides crisis support resources specifically to Kansas City’s LBGTQ+ community. Their services are free and confidential. Call their 24/7 helpline at 816-349-9371.
RAINN: This national group is America’s largest anti-sexual violence organization. You can call their free and confidential 24-hour hotline at 800-656-4673 or chat online with a staff member here.
National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: If you feel you may be at risk of suicide, call 800-273-8255 or chat online here.
Know your options
It’s common to feel scared, confused, overwhelmed or angry following an unwanted sexual encounter. Here are some of the avenues available to you, along with some of their common benefits and drawbacks. The decision about which to pursue is totally up to you.
Medical exam and evidence collection
For some survivors, medical care is the first step taken after an assault occurs. To access care, go to your nearest hospital. MOCSA or KCAVP may be able to send an advocate to accompany you— call their hotlines above to learn more about that option.
At the hospital, survivors have the option to request a forensic exam that will collect evidence related to the assault. This can include clothing, biological samples and other belongings. In Kansas City, some survivors receive a care package from MOCSA donated by the nonprofit Assistance League containing new clothing, toiletries and information from MOCSA about their options.
“There is no obligation to report to law enforcement, just because someone wants to go to the hospital,” said Victoria Pickering, MOCSA’s Director of Advocacy. “One of the benefits that some survivors get from going to the hospital and having evidence collected… is that it gives them some time to make a decision about reporting.”
If you are over the age of 18 and not a member of a vulnerable category such as a nursing home resident or intellectually disabled person, hospital staff cannot report your assault to law enforcement without your permission.
Forensic exam evidence is stored by the state indefinitely. It’s important to note that if your clothes or other belongings are collected as evidence, you are unlikely to ever get them back. If you choose to undergo a forensic exam following an assault, MOCSA recommends the following tips:
Don’t shower
Don’t eat, drink or brush your teeth
Wear or bring the clothes you wore at the time of the assault to the hospital
Try not to use the restroom until you are at the hospital
You should not be charged anything for a forensic sexual assault exam. If you receive a bill, call MOCSA’s hotline at 816-531-0233 in Missouri or 913-642-0233 in Kansas for assistance.
Title IX reporting
This process involves an internal investigation by a survivor’s university into claims of sexual harassment or assault. This option is only available to enrolled university students, and can result in discipline from the university like suspension or expulsion of the perpetrator.
The benefits to undergoing the Title IX process include potential academic accommodations and an investigation that doesn’t involve law enforcement. Depending on your university’s policies, you may also be able to report your assault anonymously.
Downsides include a lengthy process that advocates say takes a lot of time, paperwork and potential frustration, as well as the chance that your school will contact the perpetrator and inform them of your accusation. Read more about the limitations of Title IX for one survivor here.
“The Title IX process is often very difficult to go through, especially if a survivor is going through a law enforcement investigation at the same time,” said Melody Joy, MOCSA’s Title IX Advocate. Joy assists student survivors in contacting their schools’ Title IX coordinators, filling out necessary paperwork and accessing support while the investigation is underway.
Reporting to law enforcement
This option is a lengthy process that may result in legal consequences for the person who assaulted you. The choice to make an official report is entirely yours. However, the decision on attempting to charge your assaulter with a crime is made by a government prosecutor.
“The person who decides… whether or not anyone’s ever charged with [a crime] is the prosecutor,” said Pickering. “Understanding that that is outside the hands of the survivors, I think is really important when making a decision about whether or not to participate in that process.”
Survivors can choose whether or not to participate in an investigation and potentially a subsequent prosecution after filing a report. But they should be prepared for the possibility that the state may not attempt to prosecute their assaulter at all.
“It can feel just, frankly, devastating for survivors. So we try and make sure that that’s really clear when we talk to someone about their options,” said Pickering. “It’s not what we see on TV, it’s not what we hear people say, and so it gives us an incorrect assumption about what to expect.”
Here’s a quick breakdown of the official reporting process:
Go to the police station in the jurisdiction where the assault occurred. Advocates from local groups can accompany you for this visit.
File a police report. You cannot do so anonymously. You may be asked similar questions multiple times, which can be frustrating. You are allowed to take as many breaks as you need.
Your report will be forwarded to a detective, who will begin investigating your case.
The detective will contact you for another interview. They may also collect statements from other people about your assault, including the perpetrator. They may also send your forensic kit to a crime lab for analysis. This investigation process can take as long as a year.
If the detective decides there is enough evidence, they will refer your case to a prosecutor.
If the prosecutor agrees that there is enough evidence to charge your assaulter with a crime, they will file charges against the perpetrator.
The case will then proceed to criminal court, where you may be asked to testify against your assaulter. This process can also take a really long time.
Finally, a judge will issue a verdict. If your assaulter is found guilty, the court will decide how to sentence them.
Protective orders
Civil courts in both Missouri and Kansas can issue orders that prevent someone from contacting you or coming near you. Visit your county courthouse to file one.
In Missouri, civil courts can issue an Order of Protection to prevent someone from contacting you. These orders last anywhere from 180 days to one year. If you are in immediate danger, a judge can issue a temporary order right away to keep the assaulter away from you until a court hearing date is scheduled.
In Kansas, civil courts can issue a Protection from Abuse order to keep an intimate partner away from you, or a Protection from Stalking order to keep someone else away from you. You will need to fill out paperwork requesting that a sheriff deliver the ruling to your assaulter and to keep your contact information confidential.
If you’re younger than 17 in Missouri or 18 in Kansas, an adult parent or guardian will need to file these documents on your behalf.
Civil lawsuit
This option involves sueing your assaulter in civil court for financial losses that resulted from the assault. This can include medical expenses, lost wages from missing work and other monetary compensation. This process affords the survivor more control over court proceedings, but often requires expensive legal fees. If you’re interested in starting this process, the first step is to contact a lawyer.
Civil suits do not result in criminal charges or otherwise punish the perpetrator for the assault. If you win the lawsuit, your assaulter will simply have to pay the agreed amount of money. They will not go to jail, be barred from contacting you or be added to a sex offender registry.
Other resources
Many sexual assault survivors never seek medical care, apply for court orders or report their assaults to anyone. The choice is entirely up to you whether you want to take any of the steps above, or none at all. Regardless of whether a survivor takes any type of action following an assault, supportive resources are still available for free in Kansas City. These include:
Free counseling from MOCSA
Support groups run by MOCSA in English and Spanish
Self-care resources on MOCSA’s website
Referrals for housing and food assistance from KCAVP
Crime Victims’ Compensation for lost wages and medical expenses distributed by the government in Missouri and Kansas
Do you have more questions about the resources available to survivors of sexual assault in Kansas City? Ask our Service Journalism team at kcq@kcstar.com
This story was originally published February 13, 2022 at 5:00 AM.
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