I don’t want anyone to know this happened, why should I go to the hospital?

You are safe at the hospital, it is totally confidential and no one will know you are there unless you want them to know.
It’s very important to take care of yourself as soon as possible following a sexual assault. Such an event can cause someone to experience shock or emotional/physical distancing from oneself that may lead to one not even realizing that they have been injured.
It’s important to have any injuries cared for so that healing can occur quickly.
You may be at risk of getting pregnant or getting a sexually transmitted infection or disease.
Hospital staff can offer you some information and emotional support, including resources to counselling services in your community. Research demonstrates that individuals who start counselling treatment early after a trauma are less likely to develop long-term emotional difficulties.
Evidence such as bodily fluids, skin cells, hair particles, or drugs in one’s urine are very time-sensitive to collect. These would easily be lost as time goes by after an assault. Such evidence can be a very important part of a court case if you chooses to report to the police in the following months.