What to Do If you Are Sexually Assaulted on the Job
No matter what you were doing for work when you were assaulted,
You can get the proper help without risking your job.


If you are sexually assaulted and are a sex worker in San Francisco, DO NOT call 911. Call a friend or a taxi & go to SF General Emergency room. At the triage, tell them you were sexually assaulted.
What this does:

1) You never have to give your real name if you don't want to. The Rape Treatment center said if you call 911, there is no guarantee that a) you will be treated respectfully by the officer responding or that b) you will be able to remain anonymous if you want.

2) By saying, "I was sexually assaulted" at the door of SF General, you will be whisked in to a private room. In 15-30 mins (30 mins MAX), you will have a Rape Treatment Nurse Practitioner with you. You won't have to wait in the main room with the scary people for hours.

3) The nurse practitioner will stay with you throughout your time at the hospital. She will explain your medical, mental and legal choices and let YOU decide what you want to do.

4) THE MOST the nurse practitioner HAS to report is the name you give her (you don't have to give ID so you can give a fake name) and the very basics (location of attack & time).

5) If you want to report the attack to the police:
Collecting evidence will take about 4 hours. Unless you are seriously injured, the only person who will have to examine you is the nurse practitioner. She will also stay with you for the police interview. The Rape Treatment center said that the Sex Crimes department has always been very respectful. If an officer from Sex Crimes is not available, you may get a regular officer or an officer from the area you were assaulted in. Many SFPD officers are great, but some just aren't. Your Nurse Practitioner from the Rape Treatment center will run the interview and if the officer is disrespectful or makes you feel uncomfortable, she will ask the officer to leave.

-Get HIV post exposure meds?
The cut off to start HIV post exposure meds is 72 hours. 73 hours is too late.

-Make a police report?
It is possible to collect forensic evidence of an attack several days or even a week later.

-Get free counseling from the center?
You can get counseling any time at the center. There is no cut off date.


Trauma Recovery Center/Rape Treatment Center
2727 Mariposa Street, San Francisco, CA 94110
(415) 437-3000 (phone), (415) 437-3020 (fax)

Ann Brennan, Nurse Manager, (415) 437-3020 (phone)
Medical, counseling and case management services to sexual assault Survivors and their families, including 24-hour medical forensic examinations, individual and group therapy and assistance with financial entitlements. Available to all female and male victims/survivors of sexual assault/attempted sexual assault who are residents of San Francisco or persons who were assaulted in the area.

Hours: M-F 8 am-5 pm.
Wheelchair Accessible.
Languages: English, Spanish, Tagalog, and other languages.