In Colorado, a sexual assault forensic exam can be free, even if you aren’t ready to go to the police. The exam collects and preserves evidence in case you later decide to report the assault or take legal action. To remove the financial barrier, Colorado’s Sexual Assault Victim Emergency Payment Program (SAVE) covers evidence collection costs.
Please note: Greer Law Group handles sexual abuse claims against institutions and organizations that allowed the abuse to happen, such as schools, churches, youth programs, hotels, and employers. We do not take cases against an individual acting alone, such as a family member, spouse, partner, or acquaintance. If that describes your situation, the Colorado Coalition Against Sexual Assault and the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800-656-4673 can connect you with support.
How the SAVE Program Pays for a Sexual Assault Forensic Exam
SAVE offers financial help to survivors who choose not to report their assault to police. It covers collection costs for medical or anonymous reports, plus some injury treatment expenses. The cost of having medical staff collect forensic evidence should not stand in the way.
SAVE has a payment limit, and that limit changes from year to year. It is meant to cover the medical forensic exam itself, meaning the collection of evidence. SAVE can also cover co-pays and deductibles if you file an insurance claim.
If you report the assault to police, law enforcement pays for the evidence collection portion of the sexual assault forensic exam.
Medical Reporting vs. Anonymous Reporting
SAVE applies to two ways of getting a forensic exam without starting a police investigation:
| Reporting option | Identification | Evidence handling |
|---|---|---|
| Medical report | You report the assault to medical providers under your name. The evidence goes to police with your name on it, but you do not have to take part in a police investigation. | Providers collect the evidence and release it to police for testing. |
| Anonymous report | You report the assault to medical providers and stay anonymous with respect to police. | The evidence goes to law enforcement for storage without your name or identifying information. It is not forensically tested unless and until you request it. |
For current payment limits and program details, see the official SAVE program page.
Civil Claims After a Sexual Assault
We help survivors of sexual assault pursue civil claims. Survivors can often recover financial compensation from those responsible for their attack. Liable parties may include the attacker, their employer, accomplices or the owner of the property where the assault occurred.
Deciding whether to sue anyone responsible for your assault is hard. We won’t pressure you. We’ll give you the information you need to decide on your own, when you’re ready.
Keep in mind that SAVE can pay for collecting and preserving evidence against the person who attacked you. That evidence can help enormously if you later decide to sue or report to police. To see what a civil case requires, read What Evidence Is Needed for a Civil Sexual Assault Lawsuit? For how the two court systems differ, see Civil vs. Criminal Sexual Assault Cases in Colorado. If privacy is a concern, read Can You File a Sexual Assault Lawsuit Anonymously in Colorado?
Call Greer Law Group at 303-331-6460 or contact us online to talk through your options.
