Anxiety Over Sexual Assault PLEASE READ AND HELP ME?

Question

I was sexually assaulted so I went to a sexual health clinic to get tested for STDs. I was sexually assaulted when a man penetrated my v****a with his finger after masterbating.

I said to the first clinician "I was sexually assaulted and I am worried that I may have contracted HIV, especially since the man was bisexual"

I just received my complete file from there (I requested a copy of it). Under Staff Notes the clinician wrote "Advised HIV test for unprotected coitus with bisexual male." She did not include that it was a sexual assualt.

The second time I went (new clinician this time), I clarified more and said "I was sexually assaulted when a bisexual male penetrated my v****a with his finger." This time, this clinician wrote "Sexual Assault--'He fingered me." A few lines later she wrote "First coitus at 19" (They have to put down at what age you lost your virginity.)

How come she has to "dumb down" my description and quote me as saying "fingered" but then she can be professional and use the term "coitus"? I NEVER used the term "fingered", especially to describe my sexual assault. It is a slang term that usually implies consent.

Why did the first clinican assume that it was a vaginal/penile s*x assault? Doesn't she know that you can be sexually assaulted other ways besides having a p***s put into your v****a? Did she want to sound professional by saying "coitus"? Shouldn't she have asked what the assault entailed?

Am I being too Type A about this? The file makes me look childish, promiscuous, uneducated, and makes the assault look questionable. A defense attorey would grab onto the "unprotected coitus with bisexual male" and say that that was a separate consetual act. He would say "So you voluntarily had s*x with a bisexual but then you are upset when a bisexual puts his finger inside you?" He would say "You called it "fingered" which implies consent. The file makes me look like an idiot. It also might look like I lied at exaggerated the assault, calling the digital penetration a penile penetration.

It is just all messed up. Am I over-reacting? It is just that I am thinking of pressing charges but now I don't want to because my file is completely messed up.

I don't want to report it now because my medical record makes me looks like a liar. A defense attorney would have a field day tearing it apart.

What are your thoughs? Should I go have my file ammended next week? If so, what should I say in the paragraph that I submit?

Answer 1

Just to answer one point of your concern: it's virtually impossible to get a disease from a finger, unless he had an open cut on the finger.

Answer 2

YES-definitely have the file amended- say what you have said here.

Answer 3

Absolutely. Honey, you do need to draw a line under this whole thing but first you need peace of mind and justice for yourself. Write a legal statement outlining the details of what happened and demand they update their file accordingly. They have to have accurate information or it's against the law

Best of luck

Answer 4

You are not overreacting. Sexual assault is a huge deal and should be taken seriously.

I would suggest you go to the first clinic's head and describe how unprofessional the first clinician was and to the second clinic and do the4 same.

You should definitely amend the file. Are you going to cower away and let that lie sit there on your record? In the paragraph, you say basically what you said here.  

Answer 5

Sweetie, let it go.  All of this is so unimportant, and you dwelling on the semantics is not going to help you in the healing process.  If this gets prosecuted, just be honest and calm, and let the lawyers sort out the details.

The sooner you move on, the sooner you will heal.

Answer 6

You should speak to the manager or another doctor at the clinic.  State in no uncertain terms that you were assaulted and ask her to take accurate notes of your account.  You should also write down your own account in your own words, and write down what happened at the clinic.  You should also call a rape/assault hotline and explain your situation.  You can remain anonymous if you choose, but they will have valuable advice.  You are not being Type A.

You should definitely report this.  If the police/DA think there is going to be difficulty pressing charges, they will tell you.

You need to address this, as by not dealing with it you will be frustrated with yourself, on top of having to deal with the actual assault.

Good luck!