Not always.

• SARC is a private, quiet place to receive care and attention, complete exams, and have a police interview conducted. However, because of certain restrictions associated with ensuring the safety and security of SARC patients and staff, it may not always be an available option. You can call the crisis line and talk to an advocate about being seen at SARC instead of the hospital.
• After speaking to an advocate, you may be able to skip the hospital entirely and complete your sexual assault care directly at SARC. Just as the hotline is open 24/7, the center may also be available to hold patients after regular office hours.
• If you have been strangled during the assault (lost access to air, either by choking, pressing on your chest, or other means) or have injuries, we advise that you go to the hospital to receive emergency care. A SANE may still be able to complete your FME for you at the hospital.

Crisis intervention is 24/7, and the hospitals and SARC are available whenever needed.

• You can get an exam or SAK collected within 120 hours (or around 5 days) after the assault. After that time, it is unlikely that DNA will be found. You can still get a regular medical exam at any point to address any concerns you have post-assault.
• A DFSA (if you suspect you were drugged or under the influence) can only be collected within 72 hours (around 3 days), and it can only be collected if you have an unrestricted SAK (meaning that you are reporting to police, since the DFSA is used only in the investigation and expires more quickly).
• Counseling is offered to all survivors no matter how long ago the assault happened or if it was reported. Unfortunately, SARC is currently unable to support therapy services for children under 15 years old.
• Advocacy can be offered to anyone who has questions about the post-assault process at any point. Some services may be limited based on the statute of limitations of each case (typically around 7 years after the assault).

If you are 18 years old or older, you do not have to report to the police.

• SARC can provide post-assault services whether or not you reported to the police. We can still provide medical services, review your options with advocacy, and provide counseling directly in our center without ever having law enforcement involved.
• If you want, you may still have a sexual assault kit (SAK) collected, and we can store it for up to 12 months in the case that you might change your mind and report the assault later. This process is called restricted reporting.
• Only adults (people 18 years old and older) are eligible for restricted reporting.

Yes.

• Sexual assault happens under many different circumstances, some of which may be hard to remember or piece together. If you think you may have been assaulted, even if you are not entirely certain, it is important to seek medical attention. Injuries, STDs, and pregnancy are some of the first concerns after assault, and even if we never really know what happened, addressing the possibility of it may help relieve some anxiety about the unknown. SARC can still collect a sexual assault kit (SAK) and restrict it for 12 months if you are not ready to report to law enforcement, and you are still able to receive counseling services.
• If you are unsure if an assault happened because you suspect you have been drugged, SARC can collect a drug-facilitated sexual assault (DFSA) kit.

Yes.

• All services at SARC (including medical, advocacy, and counseling) are completely confidential. Your information will remain safely stored at the center, and it will only be released—with your written permission—to law enforcement to further your case investigation. The judge in a court of law may subpoena records if you decide to press charges on the assailant.
• None of your friends, family, or other loved ones will be notified of your visit with SARC. News companies and social media will also not receive any of your information.
• You may request or allow for some of your information to be released in order to refer you to other service agencies in the area (like GA Legal Services Program).

Yes.

• Anyone who has experienced sexual assault are deserving of and have a right to receive sexual assault services like advocacy and a forensic medical exam (FME). SARC can also offer counseling to male survivors. We believe in making services accessible to everyone in need of them, regardless of age, sex, gender identity, or sexual orientation.

$0.00

• Services at SARC are 100% free to survivors of sexual assault. That includes your medical exam, advocacy services, and counseling services (no matter how many counseling sessions you attend).
• This is possible because of the GA Crime Victims Compensation Program, which provides reimbursement for services related to being a victim of a crime in the state of Georgia. South Carolina has a similar program.
• If you are seen in the hospital for your sexual assault, especially if you have injuries, the hospital may still bill through your insurance the up-front costs of emergency care. However, once you file for Crime Victims Compensation, most if not all of these costs can be reimbursed back to you. Your SARC advocate can help explain and walk your through this process.

You can, but we advise against it.

• If you want an FME (forensic medical exam) to be completed or an SAK (sexual assault kit) to be collected, it is best to try and preserve evidence. Even if you are unsure if you want to report the assault yet but want to have the evidence for when the time comes, it is best to avoid these activities. Cleaning, wiping, and eating run the risk of removing evidence from any areas of contact.
• Of course, do what you need to do to feel safe. We do not wish for you to starve or dehydrate yourself. If you change clothes, try not to wash them, and you can bring the clothes you were wearing at the time of the assault with you to your FME. If you must use the restroom, please allow yourself to be relieved.

Unfortunately, these processes do not have immediate results.

• The FME (forensic medical exam) is not the sort of exam that creates “results.” The FME is not meant to definitively discover if an assault occurred or not. This exam is meant to discover possible injuries, STDs, and to document evidence. That being said, SARC does not test for STDs, and if a SANE (sexual assault nurse examiner) discovers signs of a possible infection, they will refer you to receive testing at the Health Department or another clinic.
• The SAK (sexual assault kit) also does not produce “results” as you would traditionally assume. Once the SAK is collected by a SANE, it will be later handed off to law enforcement, which will transfer it to GBI (Georgia Bureau of Investigation) to run tests. It may take around 6 months or longer for GBI to test the collected samples. SARC never receives updates on the SAK, but you will receive a tracking number and pin so that you can see where the SAK is at any time and what progress may have been made.
• If you have a restricted report, your SAK will not be sent to GBI and will be stored safely at SARC, meaning no tests will be run on the samples. If you decide to report to law enforcement within 12 months, we can send the SAK to then be tested.
• The DFSA will have a similar process to the SAK, although a DFSA cannot be restricted. SARC, again, never receives the results of a DFSA. You will not receive results, either, unless they have discovered a positive test.

Yes.

• Although we understand how difficult it is to talk to your parents about what happened to you, SARC cannot provide medical exams or counseling to anyone under the age of 18 without a legal guardian’s permission. SARC will not inform anyone of your assault except for those who need to know (not your siblings, friends, or other family members; only your guardian and the police).

This is a fear that many parents and guardians have about seeking help for their child, but this is not something that SARC has power over.

• As mandated reporters, SARC staff must make a report to the Department of Family and Children Services (DFCS or CPS) and to law enforcement whenever someone discloses any sort of child abuse, including sexual assault. DFCS may decide to investigate the report, but that does not mean they are aiming to separate families.
• The purpose of providing services to your child and reporting to DFCS is to ensure the child’s safety and health.

You still qualify for SARC services.

• Just as the police would still respond to the crime and the hospital emergency room would still take you in, SARC will still provide services to anyone who has experienced sexual assault within our service area. We can coordinate access to evidence and information with the law enforcement department where you are from (if you decide to report).
• If you are away from the Augusta area during the assault, another center like SARC in that area will most likely be available to assist you. When you return home, we will still be able to provide our regular services as needed.
• You may find the counties SARC provides services for on our About page. If your county is not listed and you do not know who to call, SARC can help find the appropriate crisis response center for your area.

No.

• Unfortunately, SARC is not capable at this time to house survivors of sexual assault. Our advocates can connect survivors to other local agencies that may be better equipped to supply safe housing.

Yes.

• Currently, our counselors are women, and they see clients of any sex, gender identity, or sexual orientation who have experienced sexual assault. It does not matter when the assault occurred—even if it was many years ago—nor does it matter if it was reported. Counseling can still be available to you and your affected loved ones at no cost.

Augusta, GA.

• In order to protect the safety and confidentiality of our patients, SARC has intentionally excluded our address from any online platform. If you need to access SARC services, please call our 24/7 crisis hotline (706-774-5200), and an advocate will be available to help you.
• If you would like to send a gift, donation, or other mail to SARC, you may use the following address (or email info@sarcgeorgia.org for more information):
• PO Box 895, Augusta, GA, 30903

Office Hours: Monday – Friday; 8:30am – 4:30pm

Crisis Intervention: 24/7

• SARC always has advocates available to respond to survivors’ needs, no matter the day of week, time of day, or special holidays. However, for most questions, concerns, and activities, SARC operates under regular business hours. Counseling availability is also during this time.