People with a hearing impairment have signed that it can be difficult to:
Report an offender who is also deaf as this feels like betraying the community. Remember he has committed a serious crime.
Deal with fears that people in the Deaf community may gossip. Remember you have not done anything wrong.
Sign about the abuse (and see the interpreter signing about the abuse). Some Deaf women solve this by using finger spelling (and asking the interpreter to do so too).
Communicate with Hearing police and medical workers who may assume the Deaf woman is drunk or in shock because she communicates in a different way. Remember you have the right to both a support person and an interpreter (female, if you wish).
