Should I Still Report a Sexual Assault Even Though the Clinician Messed Up My Report?

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

If you believe that you were sexually assaulted, you should definately report it. That is regardless of what any file says. The longer you wait, the worse off you'll be. If the guy that did this to you gets away with it because some RN messed up the paperwork, it will hurt much less than him getting away because you never spoke up for yourself.

Incorrect reports are the fault of those who did not hear you out and report your account correctly. Failure to report to the correct authorities is your fault and will haunt you for much longer.

Answer 2

If they recorded it the way you say, they would have to report it to the police. And apparently they did not want that.

Answer 3

Fight for it. Even if you never get the legal satisfaction of seeing justice done, your report will become part of this guy's history. You may well help stop him in the future. I am so sorry this happened. You take care, love.

Answer 4

report it! what he did is wrong, its up to the DA to figure out the case, no matter what the wording is you were assaulted. it doesnt matter what the file makes you look like because you get to answer the question which is the nurse wrote up the file i told her he put his fingers on me, not that he fingered me, if it was consentual we wouldnt be here now would we.