24/7 Confidential Hotline: 1-800-915-0045

The Haven Inc.

For help call: 1-800-915-0045

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    • Home
    • Resources
      • Identify Abuse
      • Plan for Safety
      • Support Others
    • Programs & Services
      • Domestic Violence
      • Sexual Assault
      • Prevention & Outreach
    • Make a Difference
      • Career Opportunities
      • Contact Us

For help call: 1-800-915-0045

The Haven Inc.
  • Home
  • Resources
    • Identify Abuse
    • Plan for Safety
    • Support Others
  • Programs & Services
    • Domestic Violence
    • Sexual Assault
    • Prevention & Outreach
  • Make a Difference
    • Career Opportunities
    • Contact Us

What is Sexual Assault?

Any unwanted or non-consensual sexual contact forced on an individual by someone else.  Find out more information from the National Sexual Violence Resource Center. 

Find out more

Rape

Drug-Facilitated Sexual Assault

Molestation

Non-consensual or forced sex with someone. Rape can include forcing a body part or object into the vagina, rectum, or mouth. A perpetrator may be someone you know (an acquaintance), a family member, someone you are in an intimate relationship with, or a stranger.

Molestation

Drug-Facilitated Sexual Assault

Molestation

The act of sexual touching that is unwanted or non-consensual. This term is mostly used in the case of children or juveniles.

Drug-Facilitated Sexual Assault

Drug-Facilitated Sexual Assault

Drug-Facilitated Sexual Assault

Occurs when a mind-altering substance is administered to the victim without his/her knowledge or consent and a sexual assault occurs.

Common Reactions to sexual assault

Fear responses

Fear is a very common reaction to sexual assault. Victims who have been assaulted typically avoid anything which reminds them of the assault (places, situations, people, etc.). Some men and women become so fearful that they greatly restrict their activities, even to the point that they are unable to leave their homes or to be left alone. Children, in particular, may not want to separate from a non-offending parent and may need constant reassurance.

Losing control

After experiencing a sexual assault, many men and women fear that they are losing control over their lives. They have been forced to participate in an act that was against their will. They lost control over their lives at the time of the assault, and this feeling of loss of control may continue after the assault. Creating situations in which the person feels in control and empowered are important in the healing process. 

Flashbacks

Victims may re-experience the assault over and over again in their thoughts and/or in their dreams. When this happens, it is almost as though the assault is actually occurring again. This re-experience of the event is called a flashback. 

Trouble concentrating

Sexual assault victims may find that they have trouble concentrating on things. It is as though they cannot keep their minds on what they are doing. This is can be frustrating and add to the sense of loss of control. 

Disrupted relationships

It is not unusual to see a disruption in relationships with others after a sexual assault. This is, in part, a result of the withdrawn behavior that frequently accompanies sadness and depression. The victim may also feel embarrassment and ashamed about what happened to them. However, the support of friends and family plays a vitally important role in the victim's recovery from the trauma of sexual assault. 

Depression

Another common reaction to sexual assault is a sense of sadness or depression. There may be feelings of hopelessness and despair, frequent crying spells, and sometimes even thoughts of suicide. A loss of interest in activities and things that previously were enjoyable often accompanies these feelings of sadness and despair. 

Services

24-Hour Crisis Line

Legal Advocacy/Assistance

24-Hour Crisis Line

Trained staff available to answer sexual assault crisis calls 24 hours a day. 7 days a week. 

Counseling

Legal Advocacy/Assistance

24-Hour Crisis Line

Individual and group counseling for adult and child survivors of sexual violence and their family, and friends.

Legal Advocacy/Assistance

Legal Advocacy/Assistance

Legal Advocacy/Assistance

Assist survivors of sexual violence in obtaining temporary restraining orders.

Additionally, provides civil legal remedies and representation to survivors of sexual violence during protective order hearings. Income guidelines apply. 

Medical Advocacy

Forensic Medical Examination

Legal Advocacy/Assistance

Provides support and advocacy for survivors during a forensic medical exam.  

Forensic Medical Examination

Forensic Medical Examination

Forensic Medical Examination

Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANEs) provide evidentiary forensic medical exams to survivors of sexual assault. The SANE’s are called to the emergency rooms to interview, collect evidence, and document the findings of the assault. 

Community Education

Forensic Medical Examination

Forensic Medical Examination

Provides presentations, workshops, and training sessions to raise awareness and educate the community about sexual violence. 

For more information regarding counseling services contact Paige Pellegrin at 985-872-0757 and for all other inquires, please call the crisis line number below:

Call 1.800.777.8868

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The Haven Inc.

P.O. Box 4279 Houma, LA 70361

1-800-915-0045 | (985) 872-0757

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