Got Groped in Mental Hospital...What Retribution?

April 4, 2017 3:46 PM

While staying in a psych ward for depression, I was sexually groped by a male patient, staff was non-responsive/blocked police contact. What can I do for retribution? Women - what has made you feel better/what did you do with the rage after an assault where nothing was done?

While staying in a psych ward for depression, I was sexually groped by a male patient and eventually ended up leaving because I felt unsafe and staff was useless and unable to keep him away from me. The staff would not allow me to call the police and I am several hours away now and the only way to make a report is to return to that area (and I don't have a car).

posted by Kombucha3452 to Human Relations (7 answers total)

I am not going to try and offer you advice on how you can find your own personal retribution.

For me, it helped to join a local woman's aid group in order to help women who had been through similar experiences (by this time, the immediate experience for me was not quite so raw and so I felt able to help others more). There was something cathatrtic about helping others who had been through this even if I never found 'true' retribution/it has never come full circle.

I would suggest that you return the area if you feel a need to report it, now or later on, if someone with a car (that you trust) can accompany you. In fact I would urge you to do this if you feel you can because this man could be a danger to others. For now, though, also look after yourself and give yourself the loving care you deserve. Sorry this happened to you.
posted by Kat_Dubs at 4:11 PM on April 4, 2017 [6 favorites]

For me, rage is about a sense of helplessness. So, for me, finding ways to problem solve and take control of my life is the best antidote to rage.
posted by Michele in California at 6:16 PM on April 4, 2017 [4 favorites]

Does the hospital you were admitted to have an ombudsperson? You might be able to make a complaint via phone to them.
posted by praemunire at 6:19 PM on April 4, 2017 [15 favorites]

There might be an ombudsperson or patient's rights coordinator or grievance coordinator for the county or city where the hospital is located. Contacting them might help.

If it were me, I would also call my own local sexual assault hotline. If you're in the US, calling 1-800-656-4673 will connect you with RAINN's hotline, which usually routes people to their local sexual assault crisis center. They should be able to provide local resources for support.

I'm sorry this happened to you. It was wrong, and you didn't deserve it, and I hope you get help.
posted by lazuli at 7:26 PM on April 4, 2017 [4 favorites]

There is a Protection & Advocacy agency for every state. It's a federal requirement. This is just the sort of issue they work on. The names differ by state so you could google it
posted by kerf at 7:28 PM on April 4, 2017 [2 favorites]

http://www.ndrn.org/about/paacap-network.html
posted by kerf at 7:30 PM on April 4, 2017 [1 favorite]

Did this just happen? You need a good night's sleep and someone to talk to, then think about the rest. Recognize that the person who assaulted you was a disturbed person. You're not ruined, or shamed, or anything like that. This was just a trauma. You need to do immediate TLC: treat yourself well, mobilize the people around you, and do things that you know usually make you feel safe and comfortable. Feel free to memail me if you want to talk.
posted by benadryl at 11:00 PM on April 4, 2017 [2 favorites]