the Haven

SANE

Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner

The Haven SANE (Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner) provides a timely, high quality medical forensic examination that can potentially validate and address sexual assault patients’ concerns, minimize the trauma they may experience, and promote their healing. SANE’s are also used to collected evidence in cases of child abuse, sexual assault, strangulation and domestic violence.

It is important to utilize a SANE during this critical time as they can focus on providing specialized care to patients suffering from physical and/or emotional trauma, crime, and violence or acts of sexual abuse. They also focus on verbal and behavioral actions of their patient. When a patient is suffering from injury, the forensic nurse first focuses on identifying, diagnosing, and treating the injury.  Forensic nurse will exam the body, take photographs, collect evidence and perform a series of other tests and/ or information collection.

The Haven will have Victim Advocates helps achieve and effective balance between advocating for the victims and working within the parameters of the criminal justice system. They will help survivors deal with symptoms of anxiety, fear, depression, loss of control, and decreased assertiveness, may accompany victim during initial police contact at medical facility, refer victim for counseling services, provide victims with assistance in understanding reporting options, victims’ rights, filing for crime victims’ compensation, support throughout prosecution of the case and accompaniment to court and provide information and referrals to community resources.