5.3.2 Using Appropriate Language

If the survivor is not able to converse in your language, check if the health center can provide an interpreter who is not known to the survivor.

If possible, the interpreter should be trained in working with sexual assault-related issues that require familiarity using vocabulary related to sexual violence, including informal terms.

A survivor’s family members or friends should never be called upon to act as interpreters because of confidentiality and safety issues.

If no interpreter is available at the health center, one may be available to assist by phone or online.

When safety planning with the survivor, be conscious of using gendered pronouns and cautious of making gendered assumptions.

For example:

1. Not all survivors are female.

2. Not all perpetrators are male.

3. Not all survivors are assaulted by members of the opposite sex.

4. Not all survivors of same-sex assault identify as LGBTQIA.

5. Some survivors may wish to be referred to using a pronoun that is different than their birth gender.

If in doubt, it’s always best to ask the survivor what they prefer.