In Las Vegas, there is only one hospital that you can go to when you need to have a rape kit examination. And even then, there are only two nurses in that one hospital who have the right training to do this examination. This is troubling, but it isn’t unique.

Throughout the United States, there is an extreme shortage of nurses who are trained to examine sexual assault. According to the New York Times, even lower numbers are common in rural areas of the U.S., and patients seeking a sexual assault examination may be “redirected to hospitals hours away.”

Sexual assaults are traumatic experiences for the victims. Even days after the assault, patients will feel confused and disoriented. Not only do the patients need to be treated physically, they would also need a great deal of psychological healing as well. In several states, there are a limited number of nurses who specialize in rape kits and sexual assault, which means that there are a large number sexual assault victims that have not received the proper care and support afterwards. This also means that there are a large number of rapists that are still out there, who are not charged and/or convicted.

Using the Rape Kit:

In the U.S., someone is experiencing a sexual assault every 98 seconds. Immediately after the incident, the victim will choose or will be asked to go through a forensic examination to gather evidence that is left behind. In the process, a doctor or nurse will carry out a 4 to 6-hour examination and will store the evidence in a rape kit or what we call a “sexual assault evidence collection kit”. If the sexual assault victim decides to report the case to the police, the evidence collected will be a powerful tool to bring justice.

Now, let’s take a look to see how this process is carried out.

Note: The following paragraphs will describe the specifics that happen during the evidence collection process using a rape kit. While you may find it useful, it may also cause distressing thoughts.

Evidence Collection Process:

Firstly, the medical examiner will get a detailed medical history from the sexual assault victim. Then, the victim will be made to stand on a large sheet of paper and will undress to catch hold of any hair or fiber evidence that could fall from the body. The survivor’s clothing, as well as the sheet, will be collected for testing.

Then, the physical examination will be conducted. During this, any injuries that are caused by the attack will be documented and treated, and the evidence will be collected. As such, during the process, the examiner will collect biological samples like:

• Saliva
• Blood
• Semen
• Urine
• Skin cells
• Hair

Then, the body of the victim will be completely photographed from head to toe to protect the evidence of injuries. When this rape kit examination is over, all the evidence that was collected will be carefully packaged and labeled to avoid any contamination.

Nurses and the Rape Kits:

While it’s true that any doctor or nurse can carry out this examination by simply following the instructions that come along with the kit, some emergency room nurses claim that they had never opened a rape kit before they were called on to care for a rape or sexual assault victim. Melissa Cochrane, an emergency room nurse, explained the first time she read the instructions on the box and was unaware of what she was doing, feeling overwhelmed and confused.

Remember,  sexual assault nurse examiners (SANEs) would know not only how to collect samples and write notes that can be used as evidence in  court, but can also provide the much-needed emotional support to help the victim process their emotional pain. For other nurses, this may not be possible, especially with the large shortage of nurses across the country. There is a critical need for increasing the number of sexual assault nurses throughout the country.

Or, at least, more nurses who can perform this job with the confidence they need to help patients at their most vulnerable time. These victims should be treated with compassion and feel comfortable after a traumatic experience.

Need for more SANEs:

Offering this care will not be possible without your help. With too few nurses with SANE training (and hospitals not acting on this urgent need), it won’t be possible to care for rape victims. This is unacceptable. Hospitals, nurses, and doctors should find this as a priority. SANE training is free. However, nurses usually need to use their vacation time and pay their own expenses, like traveling fees (there are also hosted webinars online). Employers should take the necessary steps to offer this training for nurses across the United States. If this happens, more rape victims will get their justice and more rapists will be tried and convicted.

It’s time to take action, and make this a priority.