CULLMAN, Ala. – Victim Services of Cullman’s newly formed Sexual Assault Task Force (SATF) held its first official meeting recently. The mission of the task force is to facilitate and support a collaborative, victim-centered approach to the prevention and response to adult sexual assault for the service area of Cullman and Winston counties.
The SATF opens a channel of communication between representatives from law enforcement, prosecutors, medical professionals and victim services providers whose collaboration will help ensure adult victims of sexual assault receive a coordinated response.
Victim Services Executive Director Carol Horstman said, “These meetings help keep each agency up to date on best practices and provide opportunities to identify and eliminate any barriers a victim might experience in receiving medical care and ongoing support through the justice system. During their first meeting, the task force established that victims of sexual assault are not required to go to the hospital for treatment or file a police report.”
The SATF will also play an active role in educating the community on what to do following sexual assault.
Through the utilization of its Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) Clinic, first opened in October of 2021, Victim Services offers medical examinations and evidence collection for adult survivors of sexual assault at no charge. A 24-hour Crisis Line (256-734-6100) is available for immediate medical care and support. The Victim Services SANE Nurse is on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Medical care for strangulation and other injuries due to domestic violence are also provided at no charge.
Horstman explained, “Victims can go to the SANE Clinic for services without contacting police. They just need to call our 24-hour Crisis Line (at) 256-734-6100. The window to have an exam is within 72 hours after the event. Victims of domestic violence or sexual assault are not required to report the crime to law enforcement and may remain anonymous. Since October, we have provided SANE services for 25 survivors of sexual assault and/or strangulation.”
If the patient decides to report the event to law enforcement, Horstman said, a law enforcement officer will be called to the SANE Clinic to take the report, which reduces additional trauma to the victim.
A trained SANE Advocate is present throughout the process to offer support to the patient and provide information about follow-up services to enable long-term recovery.
Benefits of SANE programs, based on a study published by the Journal of Emergency Nursing:
- Patients are treated faster. Rape victims are treated more quickly by SANEs than those who go to the ER, and with fewer interruptions.
- It’s a current standard of care. SANE programs are the current standard of care for victims of sexual assault.
- The patient is treated by dedicated staff. Sexual assault examinations typically last two to five hours. With a SANE program, the patient is treated by staff who have a desire to do this work and have received training to provide the specialized, trauma-informed care that survivors need. A trained SANE Advocate is present to offer support throughout the process as well as information about VSOC services to help ensure long-term recovery such as counseling and court advocacy.
- There is better evidence collection. The SANE program has specialized equipment that greatly improves the quality of evidence obtained during the forensic examination and is better equipped to maintain the chain of custody.
- Patients receive more consistent care. With the SANE program, everything is standardized, including documentation, training, collection, and method of treatment.
- There is a higher conviction rate. Clinics work very closely with the prosecutor’s office to improve court presentation, and eventually, higher convictions.
For information about becoming an on-call SANE nurse or to volunteer as a SANE Advocate, call 256-775-2600 or visit www.victimservices.online.
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