Lifestyle: What to do if you’re raped on a date

What should you do if you’re raped on a date? Could you be in the middle of a date rape if you feel dizzy in a club? Here’s everything you need to know about what to do in a date rape, even if you think it’s too late to do anything about it.

Click here to read the introduction, Date Rape Facts and learn how date rapes occur in the first place.

Can you get raped on a date?

It is very important to be alert and careful when you’re out, even if it’s with a friend. If you feel nauseous, dizzy or start blacking out, ask a trusted girlfriend to get you to a safe place immediately, or call someone who can help you, even your parents.

Don’t hesitate at these moments, even if it’s just a hunch.

Don’t accept a lift or help from anyone else. There is every possibility that the very person who wants to help you could turn out to be the potential rapist.

Most of the times, almost always, date rapes happen at a known place, either your house or at a friend’s place.

What should you do if you’ve been raped on a date?

First of all, remember that it’s not your fault that it happened. You were either forced into it, knowingly or unknowingly, or you probably weren’t in a state to prevent it.

Rapes are usually never reported because of all the guilt. You might feel dirty, ashamed and violated. But you should know that rape is a crime too, and just like in any other case, the attacker is the only one who should be ashamed.

Do you think you’ve been raped on a date?

If you have been raped or wake up with flashbacks of a possible rape, get to a hospital or a doctor as soon as possible. Don’t wash or change your clothes. Contact the police immediately and insist that urine and blood tests be taken.

If you were drugged and forced into the act, the evidence of the drug usually stays in the body from 5 to 8 hours up to 48 hours, depending on the drug used. Get checked for sexually transmitted diseases or pregnancy and consider having an AIDS test.

It might be hard to get over the thought, and you may suffer from a lot of guilt and extreme reactions within you. You might lose your confidence, feel worthless, or go into depressions. If you feel any of these emotions, it is very important that you seek counseling, or talk to a trusted friend or a family member.

How to avoid getting raped on a date

It’s a very well known and clichéd adage “it’s better to be safe than sorry”, but it’s one of the things that you should understand.

Tip #1 Always trust your instincts. They may seem too farfetched at times, but most of the times your instinct never lets you down.

Tip #2If you feel someone is creepy, don’t put up with them, and don’t accept drinks from them, or stay around them.

Tip #3 When you’re at a pub, always keep the drink with you at all times, even if it means hitting the dance floor with a drink in your hand.

Tip #4 If you have to visit the loo, maybe you should think about ordering another glass when you come back to your table.

Tip #5 Don’t share or swap drinks. It’s fun to try out the different cocktails all of you are having, but you never know where things might just turn wrong for you.

But even with all this in your mind, if you are ever a victim of a date rape or a sexual assault, remember that it’s not your fault and the best way to deal with it is by reporting it to the cops.

We all know that most girls who get raped on a date never reveal it, but why let some pervert get away with a cheap dirty trick that could scar you forever, when you have a choice to put him behind bars.