Should I report my assault?

Question

It's been one year since I was sexually assaulted, and I'm still questioning if I should report it or not. I don't have my girlfriends to  talk to about this, and I can't even talk about it to my family. I could really use some advice.

I've only talked about it with my SO. Since I've told him, he's always encouraging me to report it. He's even offered to speak to people about it on my behalf (with my permission of course) to help me. But I've always told him no, because I'm afraid. My assault happened at a party that was being thrown by a friend of my good friends. A lot of why I don't want to report it is becuase I was drinking underaged. I don't want to get in trouble for drinking when I shouldn't have, or going to a party when I didn't even know anyone. The person who assaulted me is military, and my SO strongly encourages me to report it because the case would be taken over, and they would make sure justice is served. But this also makes me uncomfortable.

I'm really not sure what to do. I live in California and I believe the statue of limitations is one year, so what would be the point of reporting it?

Any advice would be appreciated. 😓

Answer

If you're still questioning it, report it. It'll give you a piece of mind once it's settled. Not only that you've got your SO on your side! That's such an amazing support system to have. Plus we need more people to speak up about sexual assault. Sexual assault is NOT okay, yet it happens all the time. People like to believe it doesn't happen, but the more it gets reported, the less people can just ignore it and hopefully more will get done about preventing, protecting, and helping.

Answer

I can't tell you what to do, in my opinion you need to do what benifits you the most. Do you feel like coming forward and telling someone will help you move on from this?

I was sexually assaulted by a close friend and the only person I ever told was my therapist, to be honest that was enough for me. It would hurt me more to come forward. But that was a personal choice.

Answer

I'm a law clerk student from Canada so it might be a bit different, but generally we're similar to the states. On serious crime, the statute of limitations never runs out. That's why they can catch murderers after 65 years. To me, assault is a serious crime. So it's possible that you have no time limit, but I'd go to a lawyer for legal advice. Even if it's not considered a super serious crime, it can be charged under the serious crimes if it caused significant harm (and it obviously does if you are still thinking of it). The best policy is to always report it. Then let the justice system decide. Despite what people say, they do a good job looking at all aspects of a case and making an informed judgment.

Should I report my assault?

The Top Baby Tracker App: Embrace New Beginnings with Tender Care

The Top Fertility Tracker App: Your Path to Achieving Pregnancy

The Top Pregnancy App: Nurturing Your Journey to Motherhood

The Top Period Tracker for Empowering Your Menstrual Health Journey