A social worker is working with a 34-year-old woman who was just raped by her ex-boyfriend who broke into her apartment. What should be the social worker's initial focus?

A social worker is working with a 34-year-old woman who was just raped by her ex-boyfriend who broke into her apartment. What should be the social worker's initial focus?

• A. Instruct her to file a police report and go to the emergency room.
• B. Help her create a safety plan and file a police report on her behalf.
• C. Encourage her to file a police report and help her assume responsibility for the rape.
• D. Suggest that she goes to the emergency room and file a police report on her behalf.

Answer: (A)

The main idea here is that immediate safety and medical needs come first after a rape. In the crisis moment, the social worker prioritizes getting the survivor connected to urgent medical care to assess and treat injuries, prevent pregnancy, reduce STI risk, and preserve evidence through a rape kit if she consents. At the same time, she should provide clear information about reporting to the police, which can offer protective options and help document the incident for any future legal action. Crucially, the survivor retains autonomy to choose whether to pursue reporting and when to do it, so the social worker should inform and support rather than pressure or act on her behalf. The other options blur boundaries by pushing to take actions for her or assigning responsibility to her, which is inappropriate and undermines her safety and autonomy.

The main idea here is that immediate safety and medical needs come first after a rape. In the crisis moment, the social worker prioritizes getting the survivor connected to urgent medical care to assess and treat injuries, prevent pregnancy, reduce STI risk, and preserve evidence through a rape kit if she consents. At the same time, she should provide clear information about reporting to the police, which can offer protective options and help document the incident for any future legal action. Crucially, the survivor retains autonomy to choose whether to pursue reporting and when to do it, so the social worker should inform and support rather than pressure or act on her behalf. The other options blur boundaries by pushing to take actions for her or assigning responsibility to her, which is inappropriate and undermines her safety and autonomy.