Rape can last over a period of days.
Advocates provide comfort, support, counseling, and critical information and referrals immediately upon request and up to six weeks following a rape or sexual assault. Legal accompaniments are provided for women who choose to take legal action. HEAR advocates offer counseling, support, and critical information about victims' rights and available legal services to domestic violence survivors, helping women to develop escape or safety plans, explore their options and find safe shelter. Short term individual counseling is available to survivors of rape and domestic violence, as well as their significant others, on a short term basis. Group counseling for rape, incest, and domestic violence survivors are available on a long term basis, as are groups for Spanish speaking and Deaf survivors of domestic violence.