Module 7
How Advocates Can Support Sexual Assault Victims During Every Stage of the Criminal Justice System Process

Medical Forensic Sexual Assault Examinations

Module 5 provides an overview of the purpose and process of a medical forensic sexual assault examination. As explained in Module 5, it is first and foremost a medical examination, diagnosis, and treatment. The examination incorporates evidence collection in order to eliminate the need for a second procedure, given how invasive and stressful these examinations are for the victim. These examinations may take place before victims have contacted law enforcement, or even considered whether they wish to report to law enforcement, or may take place at law enforcement’s encouragement after filing a police report. 

These medical examinations are not part of the criminal justice system process but they provide an opportunity for victims to initiate a police report at the end of the examination and evidence collection.

Victim advocates can support sexual assault victims during these lengthy examinations by:

  • Staying with the victim throughout the multi-hour examination and offering emotional support during breaks in the procedure. Simply offering a hand to hold during an uncomfortable portion of the examination can be supportive.
  • Ensuring that the medical facility has met language and other accessibility needs.
  • Offering support and information to victims who are deciding which portions of the examination they wish to give informed consent.
  • Offering support and information to victims who are deciding whether they will make a police report, if they have not already. The following pages discuss supporting sexual assault victims in making the decision to report the assault to law enforcement and during the report-making process. 
  • Providing information that helps victims manage expectations about what the evidence collected, if any, can “prove.”
  • Being equipped with local knowledge relevant to SANE programs and evidence collection and analysis to assist victims in making informed decisions. Module 5 provides specific local information victim advocates should seek in order to support sexual assault victims.
  • For victims who choose to participate in the criminal justice process, helping victims follow up to ensure their evidence collection kit has been retrieved by law enforcement and analyzed is very important. When that has not been done in a timely manner, advocates can assist victims in discussing the issue with law enforcement.

Advocates and their agencies can also undertake a broader assessment of what is happening in their communities by using a SANE evaluation toolkit developed by Rebecca Campbell, PhD, et al. Evaluating the Work of Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) Programs in the Criminal Justice System: A Toolkit for Practitioners (2013).

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