You can get a rape kit at any hospital emergency room, and in some areas at a dedicated sexual assault crisis center or clinic. The exam is free, you do not need an appointment or ID, and you do not have to report to police to receive it. If you need help right now, call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800-656-HOPE (4673) or chat at rainn.org, both available 24 hours a day. You can also go straight to the nearest ER or call 911.
Where to Go and Who to Ask For
Emergency rooms are the most common place to get the exam, though some cities have dedicated sexual assault centers that also perform it. RAINN operates the National Sexual Assault Hotline in partnership with more than 1,000 local providers and can direct you to the closest facility equipped to do the exam.
When you arrive, ask whether a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner, or SANE, is available. SANEs are registered nurses with specialized training in forensic evidence collection and trauma-informed care. Not every hospital has one on staff, but many can call one in or send you to a nearby facility that does. Exams performed by a SANE tend to be more thorough and less stressful, because these nurses do this work routinely and know how to move at your pace.
How Soon You Need to Go
Evidence can be collected up to about 120 hours (five days) after an assault for vaginal samples. The window is shorter for other types: roughly three days for anal evidence and about one day for oral evidence. Sooner is better for recovering usable DNA, but if more time has passed, still go. Examiners can often recover evidence when conditions are not ideal.
One medical item is more time-sensitive than the evidence itself. HIV post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) must be started within 72 hours of exposure to work, and it works best the earlier it is given inside that window. If there is any chance of HIV exposure, getting to a hospital within three days matters.
What to Do Before You Go
If you can, try to avoid the following before the exam:
- Showering, bathing, or douching, which wash away DNA, saliva, and skin cells.
- Changing clothes. The clothing worn during or right after the assault may hold fibers, hair, or biological material. If you have already changed, put those clothes in a paper bag, not plastic, because plastic traps moisture and degrades DNA.
- Eating, drinking, or brushing your teeth, if oral contact occurred.
- Using the restroom, if you can wait. A urine sample can be collected at the hospital.
None of these are requirements. If you have already showered, changed, or done any of the above, go anyway. The point is to preserve what you can, not to talk yourself out of seeking help.
Bring a change of clothes if possible, since the ones you are wearing may be collected as evidence. A trusted friend or family member can come with you. Most facilities also offer a victim advocate, a trained support person who can sit with you during the exam, explain your rights, and help you think through what comes next. You can accept or decline the advocate at any point.
Why the Exam Is Free
Federal law requires every state that receives Violence Against Women Act funding to cover the full out-of-pocket cost of the forensic exam. The statute is explicit: the government entity must either provide the exam free of charge or arrange for you to receive it free of charge. This applies whether or not you report to law enforcement. You cannot be required to cooperate with police as a condition of getting the exam.
One boundary matters here. The federal guarantee covers the forensic exam itself: the physical examination, evidence collection, and patient interview. Additional medical treatment during the same visit, such as X-rays for fractures or extended wound care unrelated to evidence gathering, may not automatically be covered. Items like STI testing and treatment may or may not be included depending on your state. If you receive a bill for any part of the forensic exam, that is likely an error. Contact your state’s victim compensation program or the facility’s billing department to have it corrected.
What Happens During the Exam
You control every step. Before anything begins, the examiner explains what the exam involves and asks for your informed consent. You can agree to some parts and decline others, pause at any time, or stop entirely.
Interview and Medical History
The examiner asks about the assault and your relevant medical history. These questions are not meant to test your account. They guide the examiner to areas of the body where evidence is most likely to be found and help identify what medical care you may need. Share as much or as little as you want.
Physical Exam and Evidence Collection
The examiner conducts a head-to-toe assessment and documents visible injuries such as bruises, scratches, or lacerations. Photographs may be taken for the medical record, focused tightly on the injury. Evidence is collected through swabs of the skin, mouth, genitalia, and other areas that may have had contact with the assailant. Fingernail scrapings, hair combings, and blood or urine samples are also common. Clothing worn during the assault may be collected.
A pelvic or anal exam may be performed depending on what happened. The examiner will explain each step before it happens and wait for you to agree. All evidence is sealed into a Sexual Assault Evidence Kit, which is then stored or sent to a crime lab.
The full exam usually takes between four and six hours, though some of that time is spent waiting. It is a long process, and feeling drained by the end is normal.
Medical Care Offered During the Visit
The exam is not only about evidence. It also addresses immediate medical needs:
- Evaluation and documentation of injuries. Serious injuries needing more than basic wound care may bring in the ER’s broader medical team.
- Preventive antibiotics to reduce the risk of bacterial STIs like chlamydia and gonorrhea.
- HIV post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP), a 28-day antiviral course that must start within 72 hours. The hospital usually provides an initial supply of several days and a prescription for the rest.
- A pregnancy test and, if you want it, emergency contraception.
- The first dose of the hepatitis B vaccine, if you have not been vaccinated.
Reporting Is a Separate Decision
Whether to involve law enforcement is your choice, and it is separate from the choice to have the exam. You have two paths:
- A reported exam, where the evidence kit is released to law enforcement and an investigation can begin. You will typically speak with a detective, though that conversation does not have to happen the same day.
- An unreported, or anonymous, exam, where the evidence is collected and stored securely without being released to police. Storage periods vary by state and are often 20 years or more.
Choosing an unreported exam does not lock you in. You can convert to a reported case later, as long as the evidence is still within its retention period. Many people find it useful to have the exam done while the evidence is fresh and decide about reporting once the immediate crisis has passed.
Mandatory Reporting for Minors and Vulnerable Adults
There is one significant exception. Every state requires healthcare providers to report suspected abuse of minors to child protective services or law enforcement. If the person being examined is under 18, the examiner must make a report regardless of the patient’s or parent’s wishes. Similar mandatory reporting rules apply in most states when the patient is a vulnerable adult, such as someone with a disability or an elderly person in a care facility. The specifics vary by state, and the examiner or advocate can explain what applies in your case.
Follow-Up Care
Several follow-up steps matter in the weeks and months after the exam:
- An early follow-up visit within about a week to review initial results, address concerns, and adjust medications. If you were prescribed PEP, this visit helps check for side effects and keep you on track for the full 28 days.
- Repeat STI testing at one to two weeks if initial tests were negative and preventive treatment was not given.
- HIV testing at six weeks and three months, and syphilis blood tests at four to six weeks and again at three months, since these infections take longer to appear.
- Follow-up doses of hepatitis B or HPV vaccines if either series was started during the exam.
Counseling and mental health support are part of recovery, not an afterthought. The National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800-656-HOPE can connect you with ongoing counseling and support groups in your area at no cost. Many local sexual assault service providers offer free therapy for survivors whether or not the assault was reported.