Hillcrest Medical Center, TPD Collaborate Efforts For Education During Sexual Assault Awareness Month

According to the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network, an American is sexually assaulted every 73 seconds. Every nine minutes, on average, the victim is a child.

Meanwhile, only five out of every 1,000 perpetrators will end up in prison.

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Advocates with the Tulsa Police Department and Hillcrest Medical Center are teaming up to educate the public.

"We meet them where they are," Tulsa Police Department forensic nursing administrator Kathy Bell said.

Studies have shown sexual violence increases during times of crises like the COVID-19 pandemic.

Within the walls of Tulsa's Hillcrest Medical Center is a safe space where survivors leave guilt and shame at the doorstep and regain control.

"We don't force anybody to do anything they don't want to do,” Bell said. “That's already happened before they got here.”

Hillcrest Medical Center said it's the only hospital in the Tulsa area with Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANE).

The SANE program is facilitated locally by the Tulsa Police Department with the help of the hospital. Hillcrest’s emergency department has specialized training, so nurses can provide physical and long-term emotional support both before and after the medical exam conducted by SANE.

"We are here for you. We will never form any sort of judgement or opinion on what you need from us," Hillcrest Medical Center emergency department director Robin Kowalik said. "Our primary concern is that we address your needs. That we are here to listen and hold your hand if you need to and provide you whatever services that you need."

At the beginning of the pandemic, Kowalik said her department saw a decrease in all patients coming to the hospital but has since seen a steady incline of people returning to the emergency room including sexual assault and physical abuse patients.

"The emergency department is a safe space for you and we are always going to be a resource for you," Kowalik said. "The specialized training nurses will come, meet with you, sit down, take time to speak with you. Address your specific need as well as walk you through the process of what it is you need to make sure that you are medically safe, as well as physically and emotionally safe before we send you home."

Bell said SANE spends on average 2.5 hours with any victim. An advocate is also available to answer any questions and provide psychological support to both the victim and the victim's family.

"We keep in mind you know the trauma that they've experienced," Bell said. "Trauma they may have had from past experiences."

This also applies to the victim's support system who might accompany them.

"It may bring up old traumas in them sometimes that haven't been addressed or maybe never been addressed," Bell said.

TPD recognizes that this can be difficult for the nurse examiners, as well, so they also have access to mental health resources.

Bell said it's important her staff identity when things are hitting too close to home and when they need to set back for a bit⁠—that they should not feel guilty about it, either.

"In order to take care of somebody else, we need to have taken care of ourselves and keep us strong to keep us coming back in here," Bell said.

SANE provides forensic medical exams within five days of an alleged assault or 72 hours for small children.

Examiners collect any evidence that can be used in an investigation.

"That could be, you know, DNA evidence from things like saliva, seminal fluid or skin cells. Could be fibers or hair," Bell said. 

Nurses also document injuries and provide emergency contraception and medications to treat any sexually transmitted infections. They also ask questions about the event itself and the patient's medical history while informing and educating them on what is going to happen during the exam. 

SANE conducts an average of 500 exams a year. Roughly 16% of those are young children while more than 70 percent are adults and adolescents. About 10% are made up of non-reported cases.

The evidence is kept for 50 years, giving victims the option to press charges if/when they're ready.

According to Bell, there aren’t many victims who change their mind, but there are certainly more who are now than even a few years ago.

"Who knows where they are in their healing that they feel like they're strong enough to go on with that part," Bell said. 

If you would like to learn more about resources for sexual assault victims, click here.

For Hillcrest Medical Center's Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners, click here.