Write an article based on this "Do not immediately clean yourself up. Report your rape. Get tested for pregnancy and for STIs or STDs. Talk to professionals who can help you. Talk to your friends and family if you want to. Stay safe from your attacker."
The urge to immediately shower or take a bath or otherwise clean yourself will often be very strong, but you should not do this. You are a walking evidence locker, so bag your clothes and get yourself to a hospital so that a rape kit can be taken. This will be vital in supporting your case later if you eventually decide you want to prosecute. Even if you do not want to prosecute, even if you don’t want anyone to know, even if you feel bad because you know the person, you should report your rape. Reporting is important, even if prosecution never happens, because it can serve as a red flag later if that person rapes again. It’s hard to relive a rape and the process of reporting a rape is rarely easy, but you should do it to protect both yourself and others. If you’ve been raped, even if you don’t want to report it or prosecute, you still should absolutely get a pregnancy test if you're a female and get tested for STDs and STIs no matter your gender. This is about protecting your own basic health, since some infections can be stopped in their tracks if intervention comes early. Again, even if you don’t plan on doing anything in terms of reporting or bringing charges, you should still take precautions for your own health. People who have been raped are at high risk of depression, suicide, drug and alcohol abuse, and other mental health problems, especially when they don’t get support. Call a rape crisis center or find and talk to a therapist. Both will be able to help you cope with the feelings that you’re having. You’ll have to decide, if you are raped, if you want to talk to your friends and family about it. Studies have shown that support from those close to you can play a huge role in helping you reach “normalcy” again. However, rape is a deeply personal experience and you shouldn’t feel like you have to talk about it if you don’t want to. If you are raped by someone you know, which is the most likely scenario, you should do everything in your power to get away from that person. They should not still be in your life. Being constantly exposed to your rapist puts you at higher risk for self-harm, depression, and a repeated attack. If you will not bring charges against them, move away, get a restraining order, or talk to CPS if you are young.