Helping a Friend

• Listen
• Believe your friend
• Say, “It’s not your fault.”
• Be supportive
• Be gentle, patient, and sensitive to your friend’s feelings and needs.
• Give your friend helpful information like the hotline number 202-333-RAPE (7273)
• If your friend wants to report, he/she should not shower, bathe, douche, brush their teeth or change clothes.
• Don’t Ask blaming questions like “why didn’t you scream?” or “why did you go with him?”
• Don’t Ask for details. Wait for your friend to share. Give time and space.
• Don’t pressure your friend to do anything, even to report it.