Go to Content Go to Navigation Go to Navigation Go to Site Search Homepage

You do not have to go through the trauma of sexual violence alone.

Our Survivor Support Services counselors are here to help 24 hours a day, 7 days per week and can provide a wide array of services in Chemung, Fulton, Hamilton, Montgomery, Saratoga, Schenectady, Schoharie, Schuyler, Steuben, Warren and Washington counties.

No matter what county you live in, we are here to help and referrals are available for other areas of New York State.

We're here for you.

We are currently offering our survivor support services in-person or virtually and advocates are always available through our 24-hour hotline. 

Short-term counseling is available for both victims and their loved ones. All counseling is free and confidential.
 

Support services include:

  • Crisis intervention
  • Information on victims’ legal rights and protections
  • Help with the criminal justice process
  • Emotional support
  • Help with safety planning
  • Help preparing victim impact statements for courts and parole boards
  • Intervention with creditors, landlords, and employers on behalf of the victim
  • Help finding shelter and transportation
  • Referrals to other services
  • Assistance with compensation applications
  • Information on sexual assault prevention
  • Support groups
  • Prevention education and professional training

Support Services for College Students
 

All services are free and confidential - what is shared with us will not be reported to law enforcement or anyone on campus.

Our Advocates can provide:

  • information on medical and legal options, reporting options, and information on the student conduct process and Title IX protections
  • support, advocacy, and short-term counseling regardless of whether or not the incident is reported
  • prevention education such as bystander intervention, consent, and healthy relationships

Colleges we serve:

  • Alfred University
  • Elmira College
  • Fulton–Montgomery Community College
  • Schenectady County Community College
  • Skidmore College
  • SUNY Adirondack
  • SUNY Cobleskill
  • SUNY Corning Community College
  • Union College

Frequently Asked Questions

What should I do if it happens to me?

Get to a safe place. If you are in immediate danger, do anything you can to get away, and if possible, contact emergency services and first responders for immediate assistance and help. 

Preserve evidence. It may be very difficult for you not to bathe, shower, brush your teeth or go to the bathroom, but your body contains crucial evidence in which can be collected during a medical visit at the hospital.

Seek medical attention. You need to be:

  • checked for injuries, both external and internal
  • tested for and offered treatment for sexually transmitted diseases and HIV
  • offered emergency contraception to prevent pregnancy

Contact Survivor Support Services and request that an advocate meet you at the hospital. An advocate will be able to answer many of the questions you may have, inform you of the choices you have in deciding on medical treatment, and wait with you while at the hospital to ensure that you receive the best medical treatment possible after an assault.

Decide whether to press charges. An advocate will provide you with information you will need to navigate the legal process if you decide to make a police report.

There are two situations when law enforcement must be involved in a sexual violence case:

  • When a weapon was used
  • When a child was the victim of sexual abuse at the hands of their parent, guardian or a caregiver

If neither situation exists, then the decision whether to make a report and press charges is up to the victim.

NYS Office of Victim Services (OVS) provides reimbursement for eligible expenses you may have as a result of this crime. One of our Survivor Support Services advocates can assist you in completing the application for this reimbursement.

Remember – It was not your fault. It is never too late to get help. Healing from sexual violence takes time. Seek help from supportive friends, family, and advocates with Survivor Support Services at PPGNY.

What should I do if I suspect a child is being abused?

Reacting to child sexual abuse

Most sexually abused children are hesitant to disclose the abuse.  In fact, most disclosures happen accidentally.  If a child confesses sexual abuse to you:

  • Believe the child. Children rarely lie about sexual abuse.
  • Don't over-react, under-react or minimize the situation. 
  • Praise the child for telling you.
  • Reassure the child that he or she is not to blame.
  • Show respect for the child.
  • Express your love for and confidence in the child.

Reporting child sexual abuse

If the child was abused by someone in their family or household, make a report as soon as possible to the child abuse hotline at the New York State Child Abuse and Maltreatment Reporting Center. The number is 1-800-342-3720. If you are a mandated reporter, call the hotline at 1-800-635-1522. They will notify the local Child Protective Services (CPS), who will investigate and take needed action to protect the child.

If the abuse was by someone outside of the family and household, report to the local or state police or sheriff’s department.

Recognizing Child Sexual Abuse

Sexual abuse can range from non-touching offenses such as exhibitionism, to fondling, intercourse, or use of a child in the production of pornographic materials.

Symptoms of sexual abuse may include physical and behavioral signs, as well as indirect comments made by the child. There are several clues to look for when considering the possibility of child sexual abuse.

Physical indicators of child sexual abuse:

  • Difficulty in walking or sitting
  • Torn, stained or bloody underclothing
  • Pain or itching in genital area
  • Bruises or bleeding in genital, vaginal, or anal area
  • Venereal disease, especially in pre-teens

Behavioral indicators of sexual abuse:

  • Unwillingness to change for or participate in gym class
  • Sudden, unusual difficulty with toilet habits
  • Regression to infantile behavior
  • Withdrawing from activities the child once enjoyed
  • Bizarre, sophisticated or unusual sexual behavior or knowledge
  • Poor peer relationships
  • Reports sexual assault
What should I do if a family member or friend has been victimized?

Listen. Believe what your friend or loved one tells you. Encourage them to seek medical attention immediately. They need to be:

  • checked for injuries, both external and internal
  • tested and offered treatment for STDs and HIV
  • offered emergency contraception to prevent pregnancy

Tell your friend or loved one that help is available through Survivor Support Services by calling one of our 24/7 confidential hotlines. An advocate on-call will provide support and explain their options regarding medical treatment and reporting to law enforcement.

Be patient. Let your friend or loved one know that it was not his or her fault.

Call us for information on how you can continue to be a support to your friend or loved one.

Become a Volunteer Advocate

Certified by New York State Department of Health, our comprehensive training course for Volunteer Advocates builds skills that may transfer to educational, career or personal goals. Trained Volunteer Advocates are “on call” a few shifts a month. Often, volunteers provide survivors with initial phone counseling, in-person support, and advocacy during a hospital exam or meeting with law enforcement. Volunteers rely on seasoned staff members for consultation or assistance as needed. Serving on the Volunteer Advocate team creates a shared sense of purpose, and provides rewarding experiences.

Email Us

Additional Information

Resources

Healthy relationship building

Dating violence prevention

Suicide Prevention Lifeline

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline
(800) 273-TALK (8255)

 

Español

This website uses cookies

Planned Parenthood cares about your data privacy. We and our third-party vendors use cookies and other tools to collect, store, monitor, and analyze information about your interaction with our site to improve performance, analyze your use of our sites and assist in our marketing efforts. You may opt out of the use of these cookies and other tools at any time by visiting Cookie Settings. By clicking “Allow All Cookies” you consent to our collection and use of such data, and our Terms of Use. For more information, see our Privacy Notice.

Cookie Settings

Planned Parenthood cares about your data privacy. We and our third-party vendors, use cookies, pixels, and other tracking technologies to collect, store, monitor, and process certain information about you when you access and use our services, read our emails, or otherwise engage with us. The information collected might relate to you, your preferences, or your device. We use that information to make the site work, analyze performance and traffic on our website, to provide a more personalized web experience, and assist in our marketing efforts. We also share information with our social media, advertising, and analytics partners. You can change your default settings according to your preference. You cannot opt-out of required cookies when utilizing our site; this includes necessary cookies that help our site to function (such as remembering your cookie preference settings). For more information, please see our Privacy Notice.

Marketing

On

We use online advertising to promote our mission and help constituents find our services. Marketing pixels help us measure the success of our campaigns.

Performance

On

We use qualitative data, including session replay, to learn about your user experience and improve our products and services.

Analytics

On

We use web analytics to help us understand user engagement with our website, trends, and overall reach of our products.