November is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, but a program at Winnipeg’s Health Sciences Centre is doing its part to provide support for survivors year-round.
The Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) program provides a safe space for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault to get the treatment and care they need.
“Forensic nurses are nurses who have specialized training and education to care for survivors of violence,” program co-ordinator Ashley Stewart told Global News.
“Manitoba has one of the highest rates of sexual assault and domestic violence, so what we provide patients is a safe treatment space, and what we really want is to provide choices — what that patient wants. Sometimes it’s a physical exam to check for injury, maybe offer testing for infections or pregnancy.
“Other times if somebody wants to involve law enforcement, we might collect what we call forensic evidence to help with that investigation.”
Stewart said the majority of SANE patients are either referred from adult or children’s emergency rooms at Health Sciences Centre or other hospitals, or they contact the program directly.
“The need is absolutely there,” she said.
“We have definitely seen a huge need in the community, and our numbers have definitely risen since we started seeing this population.”