It’s normal to feel anxious about seeking medical help after you’ve experienced any type of sexual violence, whether it’s sexual assault, sexual abuse, or rape. But, getting a check-up can be a good thing, even if the assault happened a long time ago. Just knowing you’re physically okay can bring you a real sense of relief and control. It can also be an important step towards recovery.
Where to get medical help
The Sexual Abuse Assessment and Treatment Service (SAATS) is a specialist sexual assault medical service available to people in Aotearoa New Zealand of all ages and genders. There are SAATS clinics all over the country, and you don’t need to have a referral to make an appointment with them. They also offer their services free of charge.
What to expect from an appointment at a SAATS clinic
During an appointment at a SAATS clinic, the medical practitioner will check:
any injuries you have – they’ll also recommend the appropriate treatment for them
if you have any sexually transmitted infections (STIs) – they’ll do a full STI check and give you any preventative treatment you might need
for pregnancy – treatment can prevent pregnancy in the first few days after an assault
your psychological needs – it can be difficult to deal with the emotional effects of an assault, and finding the right support for this is something most people need help with. Everyone reacts differently in these situations. Some people will want to talk to someone soon, others will want to do so later. Your clinician can lodge a claim with ACC that will let you access funded counselling at any time in the future.
However, no medical examination of any kind will be done without getting your full consent first.
Forensic examination after a recent assault
If you decide to report a sexual assault to the police, you can choose to have what’s known as a forensic examination at a SAATS clinic. This means that during your appointment, you can have samples collected for evidence that can be shared with the police alongside your statement. Ideally, this is done within seven days of an assault as evidence is lost over time.
If you don't know if you want to involve the police and need some time to decide, that's okay. You can still have a forensic examination, but instead of giving the evidence to the police, the clinic can store it safely until you’ve had time to decide what you want to do. The team will let you know how long it can be stored for.
How to get an appointment at a SAATS clinic
You can access SAATS services directly without a referral. Our service directory lists all the medical sexual assault clinics around the country, and provides details on how to get in touch with your nearest crisis support agency if you want counselling or advice.
Find a sexual assault medical service near you
You can also ask for a referral from:
the Police
your GP, Sexual Health Clinic or Sexual Wellbeing Aotearoa
the Hospital or 24-hour surgery
Oranga Tamariki, if you’re under 18.
Other support
Find details of other support agencies in your community, and practical online resources and tools that may be useful if you – or someone you know – has been affected by any kind of sexual violence, such as sexual assault or non-fatal strangulation and/or suffocation.
Understanding strangulation and suffocation
You can also download a copy of our brochure on getting medical help after sexual assault. The information is available in both English and te reo Māori.