Community News

TEAM PROVIDES SUPPORT FOR SURVIVORS OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE

MEMBERS PROVIDE NON-MEDICAL HELP AS NEEDED

LUKE EDWARDS ledwards@niagarathis week.com

It's likely been by far the worst day of their life, and now they're at the hospital, undergoing an invasive but important examination.

The nurse is highly trained, but could ultimately become a key witness in a future criminal trial, so they must stay vigilantly focused on the medical requirements of the patient.

Outside, a loved one paces, confused, concerned and scared.

In that instant, would you know what your rights are and what options you have?

Fortunately in Niagara, victims of sexual assault have access to an advocate that will help inform them of their rights, give them practical and emotional support, educate family members and just generally be a shoulder to lean on."There's so much to know at that time," said Tricia Cosgrove, HR, data and program manager at the Niagara Sexual Assault Centre.

"Right now especially, it's so important for people to understand what their rights are when it comes to sexual assault and any sort of crime in that area."

The assault centre's hospital response program has been around for decades, but is something Cosgrove calls a "really innovative, trauma informed" model. Members of her team are on call around the clock, seven days a week and will respond any time a sexual assault survivor requests one. Nurses at the St. Catharines Niagara Health site — the only location in the region that will perform sexual assault evidence kits — are supposed to offer the service to every survivor that comes in.

If requested, Cosgrove said an advocate will be there within 40 minutes. It's then their job to provide any non-medical support the survivor needs.

That often means informing them of their rights, what it means to

make a formal report to police, and other reporting options such as the anonymous system offered by the centre. They'll also provide emotional support, keep family members and loved ones informed and prepared for what might come next.

In many cases, the survivor may need help finding a place to stay or simply something to eat and some water.

While the hospital response

team is only meant to provide that initial, emergency response, Cosgrove said her team members will help direct survivors on further counselling and support options, such as those offered by the sexual assault centre.

"We act as an advocate and are there to treat the emotional and any other needs that the survivor has," Cosgrove said.

Cosgrove said survivors often don't know their

rights and their options and that it's important to have someone there to lay out those options.

It can fluctuate how often her team is called to the hospital. And while she stresses that the decision to have a hospital response team member attend is solely up to the survivor's discretion, Cosgrove said she'd like to see more survivors take advantage of their services.

"From April 2019 to the end of last year, we weren't called as much as we would have liked to be, only about 40 per cent of the time, which is something that is a concern of ours, to be honest," she said.

"However, it is up to the victim whether or not they want us to attend and be there."

The work can be emotionally draining for her and her team.

"But it's something that everybody that works on that team feels so responsible for and we're really, really committed to this program and we feel it is so worthwhile and just such a help to survivors of sexual violence that it's absolutely necessary, that it continues," she said.

Their work also helps the Sexual Assault Domestic Violence nurses at the hospital, who are specially trained and have a huge responsibility when it comes to caring for the medical needs of a survivor.

The sexual assault centre receives some government funding but also relies on community support.

May is Sexual Violence Prevention Month.

IN NIAGARA

en-ca

2022-05-19T07:00:00.0000000Z

2022-05-19T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://communitynews.pressreader.com/article/281578064270514

Metroland Media Group Ltd.