Newman Regional Health held a special recognition ceremony Wednesday honoring one of its partners in the fight against sexual violence.
SOS recently donated $40,000 worth of new technology to bolster the hospital’s Sexual Assault Nursing Examiner program. SOS Executive Director Connie Cahoone says the equipment is designed to help victims.
The event happened in the middle of Forensic Nursing Week, and Newman Regional Health Chief Nursing Officer Heather Aylward says demand for assault examinations is reflected by the growth in demand for forensic nurses.
Newman Regional Health SANE Coordinator Diana Moore says a lot of sexual assault victims decide against reporting what happened to them for several reasons, including lack of trust, fear, shame, fear of potential costs and a feeling the incident was their fault. She hopes the new equipment will ease those fears and provide a better environment for examinations.
SOS Crisis Services Director Mary Halleran says the SOS goal with this new equipment is twofold:
SOS received federal grant funds through the Office of Violence Against Women, turning the money into the purchase of a telemedicine camera, light source and a specialized chair. Newman Regional Health, meanwhile, has a team of Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners available 24-7 to meet with sexual assault victims, regardless of age, and to collect forensic evidence for investigators.
Sex assault victims are encouraged to reach out to local law enforcement. They can decide whether they want a so-called SANE examination, and Cahoone says victims can call 620-343-8799 to meet with advocates to determine which options may be best for them.
Click here for information about the Office of Violence Against Women.
