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Sexual Assault

National Best Practices for Sexual Assault Kits: A Multidisciplinary Approach

I’m pleased to announce that the National Best Practice for Sexual Assault Kits: A Multidisciplinary Approach is now available from NIJ. This is a project many of us worked on and should provide excellent guidance related to all things sexual assault evidence collections kits, including our role in obtaining samples, processing kits, notifying victims and more. From the site:

Through the report, “National Best Practices for Sexual Assault Kits: A Multidisciplinary Approach,” NIJ’s expert working group created 35 recommendations providing a guide to victim-centered approaches for responding to sexual assault cases and better supporting victims throughout the criminal justice process. A coordinated and collaborative approach to sexual assault investigations helps provide reassurance and support to the victims of sexual violence, improve victim engagement to facilitate healing, and increase the potential for just resolutions to these cases.

Jurisdictions vary in their individual needs and resources; these recommendations can help provide a roadmap for agencies to develop or advance their policies and protocols for untested sexual assault kits. The recommendations emphasize the use of collaborative, victim-centered, and multidisciplinary approaches to improve evidence collection and preservation, increase consistency and provide uniformity for the prioritization and transferral of evidence, enhance laboratory process efficiencies for DNA testing, and advance investigative practices and agency protocols for: evidence inventory, tracking and audits, and communication systems.

Chapter 2 specifically addresses medical-forensic exams, but it’s worth reviewing the full doc, particularly with your SART or MDT, because there are some items in here that have been a bit fuzzy in the past that are addressed with more clarity (such as numbers of swabs obtained and how they should be obtained; use of lubricants; slides and smears). Although they specifically pertain to the work we do, they don’t exist in a vacuum, so expect the need for some multidisciplinary conversation, including your crime lab personnel.

You can download the full document here (PDF).

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Sexual Assault

How Language Helps Shape Our Response to Sexual Violence

Somehow I managed to forget to post this, so apologies for the late notice (but it will be archived, so no worries if you can’t view in real time): How Language Helps Shape Our Response to Sexual Violence is the next webinar offered over at SAFEta (and KIDSta). It will be held August 10th at 2pm ET. The awesome Claudia Bayliff is the featured speaker (her sessions at the annual conference are always packed), so it’s a definite do not miss (especially if you’ve never had the pleasure of hearing her before). From the announcement:

When discussing sexual violence, we often use the language of consensual sex to describe assaultive acts or use euphemisms, erotic, or affectionate terms to portray violent acts. This language implies consent and romance, rather than criminal acts. In addition, we tend to describe violence against women in passive terms, which allows the perpetrators of this violence to remain invisible and unaccountable. We also use language that objectifies or blames sexual assault victims. This interactive session will explore the language of sexual assault: how we talk about and write about this crime. We will discuss specific examples of the language we use and explore how to discuss sexual assault in a way that more accurately depicts the crime. This session is applicable to all members of the response team who work with survivors of sexual and domestic violence.

Register here.

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Uncategorized

Since Last We Spoke, 8-7-17

Greetings from week 2 in the CLE. For those of you in the area I will be giving a somewhat impromptu testimony talk this Thursday, August 10th from 6-8pm at the Cleveland Clinic Building in Independence:

Download [10.48 KB]

As I mentioned last week, I am spending a couple weeks with kiddo and family, which has been relatively relaxing, but also tough for maintaining focus. Here’s what’s distracted me caught my eye since last we spoke:

Well this is a distressing news item

Leave Title IX be

More on tonic immobility in sexual assault

[Reads article, goes back to bed]

Yup.

Good eyes, good job

Not certain this is the right question, but it certainly needs to be discussed

Hurt my heart and made me miss T even more

Probably funnier to me than it will be to many of you because my teenager talks JUST LIKE THIS

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Elder Abuse/Neglect

Bruising in Older Adults

The National Center on Elder Abuse has a research-to-practice translation: Bruising in Older Adults: Accidental Bruising and Bruising from Physical Abuse (PDF) that I stumbled on, thanks to the magic of social media. The graphics-heavy piece makes a lovely companion to the overview on elder abuse screening tools (PDF) they published last year. And now you have a topic for your next staff meeting, with read-aheads ready to download and send out to your team.

Categories
Testimony

Calling Bullsh*t

I am so fascinated by this: a couple of professors from the University of Washington have created an entire course, with syllabus and lectures available online, Calling Bullshit. Its purpose is to teach people how data can be manipulated, and in turn to help create more enlightened consumers of information. Since we almost always discuss the issue of identifying what constitutes good science in my workshops on testimony, I am now pleasantly working my way through this whole course.

From the site:

Of course an advertisement is trying to sell you something, but do you know whether the TED talk you watched last night is also bullshit — and if so, can you explain why? Can you see the problem with the latest New York Times or Washington Post article fawning over some startup’s big data analytics? Can you tell when a clinical trial reported in the New England Journal or JAMA is trustworthy, and when it is just a veiled press release for some big pharma company?

Our aim in this course is to teach you how to think critically about the data and models that constitute evidence in the social and natural sciences.

Highly. Recommend. If you’re looking for me I’ll be sitting by my parents’ pool honing my bullshit detector 🙂

{H/t @FastCompany}

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Sexual Assault

How To Expand an Existing SANE Program

OVC TTAC has a webinar coming up as part of their SANE Program Development and Operation Web Training Series, How to Expand an Existing SANE Program. The session will be held September 18th at 2pm ET. Not a ton of info about the content: Learn about the challenges, opportunities, and benefits of expanding SANE programs to include forensic nursing care for additional patient populations, and how to expand your program. The session will likely take into account this section from the SANE Program Development and Operation Guide. Register here.

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Uncategorized

Since Last We Spoke, 7-31-17

I’m working from CLE for the next couple weeks, so lots of family/kid time. It also means (ideally) plenty of time for writing projects that keep being pushed back. If I can focus. And stay off the interwebs. Traveling back from PDX last week I had plenty of time on airplanes to surf, so here’s what caught my eye since last we spoke:

RV full of lawyers. Too cool.

Interesting article on the history of disguising gender in the military

Related.

{Tangentially} related.

Judging poverty

If you read nothing else on this list

Love, love

A fine question

Don’t settle

 

Categories
Sexual Assault

SANE Program Development and Operation: An Introduction

OVC TTAC has a webinar coming up as part of their SANE Program Development and Operation Web Training Series, SANE Program Development and Operation: An Introduction. Not surprisingly, it’s based on the document of essentially the same name. The session will be held August 14th at 2pm ET. Limited descriptor available: Take a look at the new SANE Guide, get an overview of the foundations used to create the guide, and find information on building a sustainable SANE program using a strong nursing foundation to support the SANE role. Register here.

Categories
DV/IPV

Racial and Ethnic Differences in Homicides of Adult Women and the Role of Intimate Partner Violence

The CDC looked at the issue of homicides in adult women in last week’s MMWR: Racial and Ethnic Differences in Homicides of Adult Women and the Role of Intimate Partner Violence–United States, 2003-2014. I don’t think it requires any explanation, nor do I think it will contain too many surprises. You may have seen press reports on it last week (alternatively). It’s as bleak as you probably expected. It’s also a must read, because although it’s brief, it raises critical discussion points for practice.

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Uncategorized

Since Last We Spoke, 7-24-17

So we had a super lively discussion today with our friends over at DCFNE, which made for one of the better Mondays I’ve had in a while. Tomorrow it’s off to Portland (OR) for some quality time with the Army JAG Corps, so that’s always a fun gig. Plus, you know–Portland. It was my kiddo’s last weekend in town, so I drowned my sorrows last night in mindless interwebs. Still, there were a few things worth passing along. Here’s what caught my eye since last we spoke:

Cancer is not a war. Seriously.

Related.

Guidelines from WHO around HIV resistance

Man, I hate if this is true

Also, sigh.

Guess I’m not surprised

Disappointing (also, come on, DoD)

Excellent.

I believe the last count I saw put this number higher

Categories
DV/IPV

Updated Clinical Guide: ALS for Subclinical Bruising

Just an alert that the clinical guide that addresses alternate light source use and subclinical bruising has been updated with additional research. So here’s your periodic reminder that ALS to identify subclinical bruising in strangulation patients does not have the evidence yet to support its use. There continue to be issues, particularly related to specificity. 

Categories
Testimony

Clinical Guide: Social Media Use for Forensic Clinicians

So I recently received a comment that my concern about forensic nurses’ social media use is “overblown”, which I confess, made me giggle. It’s not, of course, and my own experiences doing this work have only made it clearer as social media becomes more and more entrenched in our daily lives. But if anyone needs evidence that your social media feeds will be parsed apart (even the ones you believe are “private”) and may be brought up at trial, look no further than expert testimony from the Cosby trial last month: I suggest you check out this, this, this, or even this.

As someone whose whole life is on social media (basically), I am not suggesting you avoid it, but keep in mind that at any time you may have to answer for what’s there (including things you “like”, or are tagged in, and not just stuff you post). And program managers and trainers, if you aren’t providing education on this topic, I would encourage you to fold it in. I am neither seeing, nor hearing about widespread discussion on this topic, and the concerns and potential problems aren’t going to lessen anytime soon.

To make it easier, I have created a new clinical guide on the subject. Hope this helps move the conversation forward.

Categories
Sexual Assault

What Do Schools Need To End Sexual Assault On Campus?

If you didn’t listen to the NPR program 1A on Monday, you missed a good conversation on campus sexual assault. While it had its eye rolling moments, in general, it was a worthwhile listen. If it’s a topical interest of yours (and I think it’s helpful to understand the processes that occur on campus following a sexual assault report), you can hear the entire conversation here.

Categories
Elder Abuse/Neglect

Working with Older Survivors of Abuse

NCALL has published an impressive multimedia toolkit, Working with Older Survivors of Abuse: A Framework for Advocates. DO NOT let the 2nd half of that title keep you from doing the deep dive into this resource–1.) there’s healthcare-specific information (although it’s briefer than I’d like); and 2.) seriously, I do not want to have to convince anyone that our colleagues in other disciplines have some wisdom to share with us. My very favorite part of all of this is the Summary Report with Captioned Videos (PDF), which provides links to video clips peppered throughout the document on discrete topics, like safety planning and mandatory reporting. There’s a lot to wade through (I haven’t finished going through the whole thing yet), but make the time. And share with your MDTs and SARTs, because there’s some community response/policy content that is worth the broader discussion. BTW, this is not just about elder abuse, but working with older survivors of many different crimes, so if you’re thinking to yourself, this doesn’t apply because we don’t do elder abuse in our program, you would be incorrect. This is a resource for any forensic clinician caring for older patients in their practice (so essentially anyone who doesn’t have a peds-specific program).

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Uncategorized

Since Last We Spoke, 7-17-17

So about last week–what a fantastic crew we had at the NAC for our testimony workshop. I had a great time meeting so many new colleagues, and participants were really on point. A very impressive group (and thanks for all the new subscriptions, folks–please remember to verify your email via the Feedburner link you should have received, which went to your spam folder if you didn’t see it). Of course, you may have noticed I was MIA from the site after Monday’s post–it really is too much to keep up with everything during that course, so FHO was quiet for the week. However, I had plenty of time to surf these weekend, being in airports and such. Here’s what caught my eye since last we spoke:

I had to giggle at the title of this–do we use The Clap anymore?

Another day, another story like this…

This is a long, but good read about addiction and lawyers

Sigh.

Related

Oh, hell no, American Airlines

If you didn’t catch the piece on SANEs, read about it here (also embedded audio)

Finally, in movie news, two upcoming releases I can’t wait to see– Incredibles 2 and a Wrinkle in Time:

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Uncategorized

Since Last We Spoke, 7-10-17

I’ll be at the NAC most of the week, so postings may be spotty. Hopefully, you caught the updates to a couple clinical guides (and I’m taking suggestions for new ones). We had a pretty social weekend here, so I was unplugged for much of it. But here’s what caught my eye since last we spoke:

There will always be more work

Even in Canada…

I can’t even wrap my head around this posture

How Medicaid helps trafficking victims

Love this

Apparently, North Carolina has some work to do

This whole piece was fascinating

For all my nonprofit peeps

Important reminder that we are only a small sliver of the response to trauma victims–and that much work will keep happening long after our involvement

Categories
Testimony

Updated Clinical Guides: Testimony and Peer Review

As we head into one of my favorite weeks of the year (the testimony course at the NAC–can’t wait to see some of my FHO readers there!), I’ve updated a couple of the most popular clinical guides: Testimony and Peer Review. Enjoy!

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Uncategorized

Legislative Advocacy for Nonprofit Organizations

As the Chair of IAFN’s Government Affairs Committee, one of my favorite opportunities is being on the Hill, talking with legislators and staffers about the issues important to clinicians, our patients, and the profession in general. This year’s Lobby Day saw its biggest draw (thanks, in part, to the inaugural Leadership Day that preceded it), so I know I’m not alone in enjoying the process. However, we have fielded questions about lobbying for people who work for nonprofit agencies and/or receive federal grant dollars, and saw a few people not come because of concerns. So I was really pleased to see VAWnet has a new special collection on legislative advocacy for nonprofit organizations that target these specific issues. If you are considering joining us for the 2018 Leadership and Lobby Days here in DC (dates to be announced), or thinking about participating in another lobbying opportunity, I would encourage you to check out the information to make sure you (and your organization’s leadership) understand the left and right limits of your advocacy.

Categories
Uncategorized

Addressing the Impact of Trauma When a Mass Violence Incident Occurs

The Office for Victims of Crime Training and Technical Assistance Center has a webinar coming up, Addressing the Impact of Trauma When a Mass Violence Incident Occurs. The session will be held July 26th at 2pm ET. From the announcement:

Incidents of mass violence and terrorism present unique challenges to the communities in which they occur. These incidents require a coordinated, cross-sector approach among federal, state, local, and tribal governments; private entities; and nonprofit organizations to drive an effective response. This session will address how to create and maintain partnerships, address resource gaps, develop victim assistance protocols, and use the protocols after an incident of mass violence or terrorism.

Register here.

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Uncategorized

Since Last We Spoke, 7-3-17

Hope all of my Canadian readers had a lovely Canada Day; and a happy 4th to US FHO readers! We will be eating (and drinking) with our Army friends and possibly finishing the evening watching fireworks on the docks where our neighbors keep their sailboat. While today was meant to be a work day, turns out, not so much. But I did spend time surfing the web; here’s what caught my eye since last we spoke:

The voices of genderqueer and nonbinary survivors

The title of this article could be enough

Marine Corps, trying to find a way past their toxic masculinity issues

Save free speech from the trolls

You know I love me a good packing guide

I can’t recall why I initially clicked on this, but I”m glad I did

Thinking about all the 1st responders in the Bronx last week

Related: no surprise his past includes violence against women

#Seriously (aka, the view from DC right now)

Bookmarked for my nights on the road when jetlag is kicking my ass