Taos sexual assault nurse examiner program helps restore victim trust

In over 90 percent of sexual assault cases, the perpetrator is someone the victim knows and often someone they trusted at one time. It’s a life-changing trauma to be sexually abused by someone you believed to be a friend, a partner, a confidante, a family member or someone else in a position of authority and trust. We at Community Against Violence have repeatedly seen that after a sexual assault occurs, the victim struggles to trust anyone.

That lack of trust and fears of not being believed are among the reasons why so few sexual assaults are reported. Yet, the period of time closely following an assault is most critical to treating the victim and gathering information about the assault and its perpetrator, even if the victim decides not to report it to others.

Fortunately, we have the Taos Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) program that is a free and confidential medicalforensic service available for teen and adult female and male victims of sexual violence. Taos SANE is a coordinated effort by CAV and Holy Cross Medical Center, and does not require a report to law enforcement. Contacting Taos SANE does not mean law enforcement will be involved without the victim’s consent.

By contacting the Taos SANE program (575-751-8990) and having a nurse call you back, victims get prompt medical treatment from specially trained nurses. Again, information is confidential, and law enforcement can be involved if the victim wants them to be.

A Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner has been trained to first provide medical treatment for any injuries and, second, conduct forensic (crime investigation) exams for individuals who have been, or suspect they have been, sexually assaulted. Services include:

Assessing the victim’s physical condition. Providing emergency contraception if needed. Documenting any injuries. Collecting evidence (up to five days after the assault ). Providing medication to prevent sexually transmitted infections (up to 30 days after the assault ). Referring victim for follow-up care.The nurse can share information and help with options for subsequent care, which may include further testing, treatment or prevention of sexually transmitted infections, HIV and pregnancy. Throughout the post-assault period, SANE’s medical professionals evaluate and treat the patient with compassion and without judgment. They are always mindful of the immediate and longer-term consequences of sexual violence.

Every year, more than 1 million women and men are sexually assaulted. One in five women will experience rape during their lifetimes. Nearly 80 percent of female victims were assaulted before the age of 25, and over 43 percent of those assaults occurred before the victim reached age 18.

Sadly, statistics from the National Sexual Violence Resource Center (nsvrc.org) also indicate as few as 25 percent of sexual assaults are reported to law enforcement. Additionally, many perpetrators are experienced offenders and experts at creating circumstances to disarm their targeted prey — they actively work to discredit and deflect blame onto their victims. Young people often worry about getting into trouble with their parents or law enforcement, and therefore fear reporting or asking for help. It is never a victim’s fault someone chose to commit a crime against them.

These facts graphically underline why Taos SANE and CAV are critically essential to providing confidential and free SANE services locally so that survivors receive the care and support they deserve. Calling CAV’s 24-hour helpline (575-758-9888) or 24-hour SANE hotline (575-751-8990) will get someone the immediate, confidential care they need and can trust.

Malinda Williams is the executive director of Community Against Violence (CAV) which offers FREE confidential support and assistance for child and adult survivors of sexual and domestic violence, dating violence, stalking and child/elder abuse; community and school violence prevention programs; re-education groups for people using power and control in their relationships; counseling; shelter; transitional housing; and community thrift store. To talk or get information on services, call CAV’s 24-hour hotline at 575-7589888 or visit TaosCAV.org.