Psychiatric Sexual Assault Services

The Sexual Assault Services within the National Crime Victims Research & Treatment Center offers comprehensive mental health care to people who have experienced sexual assault and connects people to medical health care. Our mission is to prevent and treat mental health distress and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) following sexual assault.

We offer free and confidential services to people who have experienced a sexual assault. Services can be provided over the phone, teleconferencing, or in-person.

• Screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment (SBIRT) for common mental health and medical concerns is offered 10 days, 1 month, and 3 months after sexual assault.
• Skills for Psychological Recovery (SPR) is offered within the month following sexual assault. SPR is a one-to-five session intervention that teaches skills to cope with traumatic stress. 
• A web-based self-help tool for alcohol use, drug use, and traumatic stress following sexual assault and/ or intimate partner violence is available.
• We can provide assistance completing victim compensation applications. 
• Evidence based trauma-focused individual therapy for posttraumatic stress disorder and other trauma-related mental health conditions following sexual assault. Individual therapy typically occurs weekly for about 12 weeks.

We also partner with community agencies to increase public awareness about sexual assault. The goals of our community initiatives are to reduce sexual assault and increase access to support for sexual assault survivors. We are currently launching a Start by Believing campaign in Charleston. We want every person in Charleston to know what to say when someone discloses sexual assault: I believe you. 

To find out more about our sexual assault services, call or text 843-792-8209. You can also email the program director Dr. Christine Hahn at hahnc@musc.edu.