Philosophy
The Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners offer comprehensive care to the survivors of sexual assault in the emergency room. These highly skilled nurses educate survivors on their rights and benefits of receiving an exam and treatment.
Assistance
If you have recently been a victim of sexual assault, please do not bathe, eat, drink, smoke, brush your teeth, or wipe after urination.
Seek emergency medical treatment as soon as possible. The emergency room staff will notify the Hearts of Hope SANE on-call if you are at one of our designated SANE sites. The SANE will then meet you at the hospital.
Adults- you are not required to report to law enforcement in order to obtain a forensic exam and receive treatment.
Services
- Skillful nursing examination and care to survivors of sexual assault at designated hospital emergency rooms.
- Specialized sexual assault evidence collection kits for survivors of sexual assault.
- Appropriate referrals for survivors of sexual assault who seek treatment.
- Collaborative community-based response system for survivors of sexual assault through a multi-disciplinary training and a Sexual Assault Response Team (SART).
- Assistance in reporting sexual assault crimes to law enforcement agencies based on the survivor's intent to prosecute.
- Standardize data on the rate of sexual assault survivors who seek treatment in Lafayette hospital emergency rooms.
Our program coordinates dissemination of evidence kits to most Acadiana area ERs