Women's
Sexual Assault Program
Methodist Sexual Assault Hotline:
(402) 354-8899
Available 24 hours per day, 7 days per week.
Methodist Hospital offers adult and teen victims of sexual assault a place to go where they can receive immediate, comprehensive and compassionate care and evidence collection from health care professionals specifically trained and educated to meet their special needs.
Located adjacent to the Emergency Department to ensure privacy.
What to Expect When You Arrive ... Someone Who Understands and Someone Who Cares
Sexual assault can happen to anyone — adolescent or adult. Methodist Hospital will assist you no matter your situation. The first thing to do is seek treatment immediately, or at least within 72 hours, for:
- Counseling and crisis care referral
- Emergency pregnancy prevention
- Emotional support
- Evidence collection
- Health care follow-up recommendations and referral
- Identification and care of injuries
- Preventive treatment for some sexually transmitted diseases
IMPORTANT: In order to keep the evidence viable, do not change clothes, bathe, shower, use the restroom or cleanse in any way prior to your examination. Also, if possible, do not eat, drink or smoke.
The Sexual Assault Response Team (SART)
All of the individuals you will meet here are specially trained to provide timely, compassionate, expert care — on call, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
The Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) is a person you can count on to listen to you, evaluate and tend to your health care needs, collect evidence, document findings and furnish referrals to the people, agencies and services that can help once you leave the hospital.
A Physician is another member of your team available to treat injuries and address any medical problems, large and small.
A Victim Advocate from the YWCA will support you before, during and after the exam. The advocate will also be able to refer you to ongoing individual and group counseling programs sponsored by the YWCA.
A Law Enforcement officer will maintain your safety, take custody of evidence and investigate the report.
Additional Resources are available as needed — laboratory, infection control staff, pastoral care, patient education and more.
You Are Not Alone
Care, comfort and dignity are what you need most following a sexual assault. We want you to know you are not alone, that you have options, thanks to the Heidi Wilke SANE/SART Survivor program at Methodist Hospital.
How the Program Started
Heidi Wilke was attacked and raped following a business meeting in downtown Omaha. Acutely aware of the special needs of sexual assault survivors, Heidi and her husband Jeff have been instrumental in the development of the first SANE/SART Program in the Omaha area. The Wilkes have worked closely with the Methodist Hospital Foundation to spearhead fundraising efforts to endow the program permanently.
Related Links
Methodist Hospital Foundation
Project Harmony
Omaha YWCA
Iowa Sex Offender Registry
Nebraska Sex Offender Registry
Filing a Police Report with the Omaha Police Department
