Do Nurses Know How to Do Rape Exams?
Trained nurses understand the trauma best
A well-trained nurse knows what the trauma is. She also knows how to question victims, so they don’t feel any additional trauma and anxiety. Medical personnel with no training in rape kits tend to make a victim feel guilty or doubted by asking impersonal questions like “How much did you drink?” or other questions that make a victim feel at fault.
A trained nurse gathering evidence from a victim is vital in prosecuting a case against an offender. These nurses are trained to be compassionate and know how to testify, and this type of training is significant for victims of pediatric sexual abuse
In Elmhurst Hospital, Kelley Borden*, a SANE (sexual assault nurse examiner) puts her patients at ease by introducing herself as a SANE nurse. She and the victim talk until the patient is comfortable with a procedure that is invasive. Borden also makes sure to explain to the patient what she is doing with the evidence of fingernails scraping, vaginal swabs, and collection clothing. It is entirely up to the victim to have a rape kit done or to provide that kit to the police once it is completed.
