Domestic Violence/sexual Assault

Η Ελλάδα βρίσκεται σε ένα σταυροδρόμι όσον αφορά την προστασία των επιζωσών βιασμού και σεξουαλικής βίας. Το διεθνές δίκαιο προϋποθέτει την παροχή εξειδικευμένης φροντίδας, ωστόσο η έλλειψη Κέντρων Παραπομπής για Περιστατικά Βιασμού ή Σεξουαλικής Βίας (SARC) ιστορικά έχει δυσχεράνει την πρόσβαση των θυμάτων στη βοήθεια που χρειάζονται, γεγονός που επιδεινώνει την κατάστασή τους. Όμως, η «θεσμική σιωπή» τελειώνει εδώ, όπως δείχνουν τα ευρήματα της GREVIO για το 2023. Το πρόγραμμα «InSupport», με τη χρηματοδότηση της ΕΕ, υποστήριξε την ΑΜΚΕ Σύμπλεξις στην κατάρτιση ενός σαφούς σχεδίου για τη δημιουργία των πρώτων δομών παραπομπής «one-stop-shop» στην Ελλάδα. Οι κατευθυντήριες γραμμές που περιλαμβάνονται στο παρόν έγγραφο αποτελούν έναν οδηγό πλοήγησης στα τέσσερα βασικά στάδια της διαδικασίας: θεμέλια, άμεση παρέμβαση, επιχειρησιακές λειτουργίες και αποκατάσταση. Πρόκειται για ένα πλαίσιο που διασφαλίζει ότι η ανταπόκριση των υπηρεσιών θα είναι διαθεματική και εστιασμένη στις/στα επιζώσες/επιζώντα άτομα, καθώς θα συνδυάζει υψηλού επιπέδου διεθνή πρότυπα με πραγματολογικά δεδομένα που αφορούν συγκεκριμένα την Ελλάδα, όπως, π.χ., σημαντικές πληροφορίες σχετικά με τη μέση καθυστέρηση που αντιμετωπίζουν οι μετανάστριες επιζώσες. Καλύπτει επίσης τις ανάγκες των ΛΟΑΤΚΙΑ+ ατόμων, των μεταναστριών και των ατόμων με αναπηρία που έχουν υπάρξει θύματα σεξουαλικής βίας, καθώς διαχωρίζει την παροχή νοσοκομειακής φροντίδας από τη διαδικασία της καταγγελίας στην αστυνομία. Έτσι, η θεραπεία μπορεί να ξεκινήσει αμέσως και τα άτομα είναι σε θέση να ανακτήσουν την ανεξαρτησία τους σε βάθος χρόνου. Η παρούσα έκδοση δεν είναι απλώς ένας τεχνικός οδηγός - αποτελεί επίσης μια πρόσκληση για δράση προς τους/τις παρόχους υπηρεσιών και τα πρόσωπα που ασχολούνται με τη χάραξη πολιτικής. Παρέχει το δομικό «DNA» που απαιτείται προκειμένου ένα δυσλειτουργικό σύστημα να μετατραπεί σε ένα ασφαλές, επαγγελματικό και ενοποιημένο περιβάλλον για κάθε επιζών άτομο.

Στην κρίσιμη τομή μεταξύ ιατρικής και δικαίου, ο/η επαγγελματίας υγείας αποτελεί συχνά τον πρώτο σύνδεσμο ανάμεσα στο τραύμα της επιζώσας και στη διαδρομή της προς την απόδοση δικαιοσύνης. Η παρούσα δημοσίευση αναπτύχθηκε στο πλαίσιο του έργου «InSupport», το οποίο χρηματοδοτείται από την ΕΕ, και παρέχει έναν ολοκληρωμένο οδικό χάρτη για τους/τις επαγγελματίες της πρώτης γραμμής όπως είναι οι γιατροί στα επείγοντα περιστατικά, οι γενικοί/ές γιατροί και ειδικοί/ές στον τομέα της ψυχικής υγείας, οι οποίοι/ες καλούνται να διαχειριστούν την πολυπλοκότητα της σεξουαλικής βίας στη σύγχρονη Ελλάδα. Το συγκεκριμένο εγχειρίδιο υπερβαίνει την κλινική θεωρία. Βασίζεται στην ουσιαστική μετατόπιση προς ένα νομικό σύστημα που έχει ως επίκεντρο τη συναίνεση και στις πιο πρόσφατες αλλαγές του 2025. Παρέχει ένα χρήσιμο πλαίσιο, με επίγνωση του τραύματος (“trauma-informed), για κάθε μέρος της αλληλεπίδρασης, από την πρώτη επαναληπτική συναίνεση και το μοντέλο «LIVES» για την παροχή ψυχολογικών πρώτων βοηθειών έως τις τεχνικές προκλήσεις της συλλογής ιατροδικαστικών στοιχείων (SAEK) και της παραπομπής στους διάφορους άλλους φορείς. Καθώς έχει σχεδιαστεί με βάση την πραγματικότητα του ελληνικού συστήματος υγείας, το εγχειρίδιο αποσαφηνίζει την ευαίσθητη ισορροπία μεταξύ της υποχρεωτικής καταγγελίας και του επαγγελματικού απορρήτου, διασφαλίζοντας έτσι ότι το ιατρικό προσωπικό μπορεί να ενεργεί με «φροντίδα και θάρρος». Διασφαλίζει πως καμία γυναίκα δεν θα έρχεται αντιμέτωπη με τη θεσμική σιωπή και εστιάζει στην αυτονομία των επιζωσών βιασμού και στη διαθεματική ευαισθησία, συμπεριλαμβάνοντας και συγκεκριμένους κανόνες για τα θύματα «διορθωτικού» βιασμού. Δεν αποτελεί απλώς ένα σύνολο κανόνων, αλλά ένα σημαντικό πλαίσιο εργαλείων που διασφαλίζουν ότι η κλινική παρέμβαση θα αποτελεί βασικό μέρος της θεραπείας, του σεβασμού και των ανθρωπίνων δικαιωμάτων.

Nonfatal Strangulation Continuing Education Program for Forensic Nurses by Pamela Holtzinger MS, Towson University, 2011 Project Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Nursing Practice Walden University August 2019 Abstract Patients experiencing nonfatal strangulation during intimate partner violence (IPV) are suffering the consequences of unrecognized injuries and delayed life-threatening medical sequela. Forensic nurses offer expertise in the physical assessment and documentation to a variety of assault victims including those impacted by IPV. This project addressed whether an educational program on nonfatal strangulation increased the knowledge andPatients experiencing nonfatal strangulation during intimate partner violence (IPV) are suffering the consequences of unrecognized injuries and delayed life-threatening medical sequela. Forensic nurses offer expertise in the physical assessment and documentation to a variety of assault victims i...

Background: Forensic nurses, sexual assault nurse examiners (SANEs), and victim advocates have long recognized the trauma of sexual assault crimes and the significance of survivors' decisions around reporting these crimes to law enforcement agencies. Until recently, survivors who didn't report the crime were not entitled to a free medical forensic examination. In a significant policy shift, the Violence Against Women and Department of Justice Reauthorization Act of 2005 provided an additional decision option with regard to the medical examination for survivors of sexual assault. This provision, referred to here as the nonreport option, was established to offer survivors a full range of reporting options and to ensure exemplary health care, with evidence collection as an important secondary goal. Objectives: This study sought to examine the implementation of the nonreport option in Texas; explore its impact on SANEs, survivors, and the criminal justice system; and identify strengths and challenges of the nonreport process. Methods: A mixed-method approach was used that included qualitative interviews with 79 professionals who regularly respond to sexual assault crimes, a Web-based survey questionnaire of such professionals that yielded 131 completed surveys, and a review of existing data. Results: The step-by-step process involved in a nonreport case was described, and findings in three descriptive areas emerged: confidentiality processes, storage and shipment of evidence, and the use of the nonreport option. Beneficial effects of the nonreport option were identified in five areas: the role of SANEs, the impact on survivors, collaborative relationships, collateral crimes, and anonymous reporting strategies. Seven areas of remaining dilemmas were also identified. Conclusions: Findings indicate that the nonreport option has had a considerable positive impact on SANEs, survivors of sexual assault, and the criminal justice system. But challenges remain if this option is to be fully utilized in the future; further research is warranted. The authors also present recommendations to improve health care delivery.

Background: Public and congressional attention to the Department of Defense's (DoD's) efforts to prevent and respond to sexual assault in-military (SAIM) is increasing. To promote reporting, the DoD offers (1) restricted reporting, allowing confidential reporting to designated military personnel without triggering an official investigation, and (2) unrestricted reporting, which initiates a criminal investigation. Purpose: To identify factors associated with officially reporting SAIM by examining demographic, military, and sexual assault characteristics and survey reporting perceptions and experiences. Differences between active component (AC) (full-time active duty) and Reserve and National Guard (RNG) were explored. Methods: A Midwestern community sample of currently serving and veteran servicewomen (1,339)

Following sexual assaults, victims are advised to seek health care services with forensic evidence collected and packaged in sexual assault kits (SAKs). This large ( N = 1,874), retrospective study examined rates of SAK submissions by law enforcement to the state crime laboratory for analysis from 2010 to 2013 at four sites in a Western state in the United States with established sexual assault nurse examiner (SANE) programs. Variables of legal and extralegal characteristics in sexual assault cases were explored through generalized estimating equations (GEE) modeling to determine what factors statistically predicted SAK submissions. For submitted SAKs, the length of time between the dates of assault and dates of submission was categorized, and bivariate and multivariate analyses were calculated to discover legal and extralegal characteristics affecting time of submission. The study sites represented 40% of the state’s law enforcement agencies and 65% of the state’s population. Out o...

The role of the sexual assault nurse examiner (SANE) combines two oncedistinct roles-nursing and forensic science. Therefore, there is a potential for role conflict that may impact SANEs as well as the care they deliver. In this qualitative study, 14 SANEs were interviewed regarding their roles. Most participants did not endorse role conflict; however, most also provided examples of conflict between their roles as nurses and their roles as evidence collectors. Participants differed in their opinions of whether they were advocates or not in this capacity. SANEs talked about breaking the rules and caring about some patients even when they believed they were not supposed to. Several SANEs also talked about relying on the victim advocate to take the caring role-in effect, using advocates as proxy for the caring role SANEs would take in other nursing settings. The implications of these findings are discussed.

O ne of the current issues facing sexual assault nurse examiners (SANEs) is that of advocacy. Is the SANE an advocate or an unbiased scientist? This question encompasses 3 issues. What is the SANE's role, and is it nursing care that the SANE is giving? What are the legal implications of the term "advocate" or "advocacy," and how do these implications affect the SANE in the courtroom? What are the boundaries between the SANE and the advocate? Clinical nursing role issues

We would like to express our thanks to the many people whose cooperation and assistance was essential to conducting this evaluation. Firstly, to the Crime Reduction Programme Violence Against Women Initiative, and particularly Alana Diamond for her input and support throughout. Secondly, to the staff at St Mary's, police officers in the Greater Manchester Police force area, Greater Manchester CPS and all the individuals in associated agencies, whose commitment was critical to the success of this project. Special thanks to Milly Doregos, the forensic nurse, for her dedication to translating the concept of forensic nursing into a reality in the UK and for the time she gave to the evaluation. Our sincere gratitude goes to the victims/survivors who chose, at a difficult point in their lives, to take part in social research. Their generosity of spirit was remarkable, and we hope that this report contributes in some way to their interest in improving responses to rape. 1. Introduction 1 Background and context 1 Description and aims of the intervention 2 Outputs and outcome measures 3 2. Evaluation methodology 4 Evaluation design and methods 4 L i m i t a t i o n s 6 3. Process evaluation 9 Implementation 9 Inter-agency issues Consolidation and integration of the intervention 4. Research findings Number of examinations conducted Weekday daytime provision Speed of response The sex of the forensic examiner Service user assessments of the forensic examiner Forensic nursing intervention and attrition Cost of examinations 5. Policy implications Wider policy issues 6. C o n c l u s i o n s 3 O u t p u t s 3 Outcome measures References Appendix: Research tools and data sources v List of tables 2.1 Total actual and projected data collection for the forensic nurse pilot 5

RN, ENP, completed her 2-year term as president and Jamie Ferrell, BSN, RN, was sworn in as president for the next 2 years. Her oath of office was an adaptation of an oath of nursing written by Florence Nightingale. Kathy Bell, RN, was elected and sworn in as president-elect. • The SANE Council adopted SANE educational guidelines that cover recommendations for both the didactic educational component and preceptorship requirements. The SANE educational guidelines will be available once they are approved by the IAFN Board. • The SANE Council reminded trainers that because no national certification exists at this time, they should not advertise any training program as a "certification program," because this is confusing to participants. They suggested that a certificate of completion of the training be provided. • Jamie Ferrell, BSN, RN, led a session to address the issue of forensic nursing certification. Although currently no national SANE certification exists, this issue is under consideration by IAFN. The first step in this process is to complete a forensic nursing role analysis. On the basis of role analysis, test questions can then be developed for a certification test. Ferrell noted that this process is expensive and time-consuming and will likely take many years to complete. She requested that persons who are interested in being on a SANE certification committee to begin the initial job function analysis contact Debi Maines at IAFN headquarters.

Wife beating, spousal abuse, domestic violence, or whatever else you want to call it, has been around for centuries, probably since the beginning of human existence. There are several reasons why this kind of behavior exists, but the present paper will not get into those reasons. For more on this aspect of the topic, see the items listed in the reference section of this paper. The goal of the present paper is more modest, to merely measure the extent of support for wife beating, and determine whether wife beating is more acceptable in some religions than in others. The Muslim religion has been receiving a lot of bad press in the United States and elsewhere, partly because of the belief that most terrorists are Muslim and partly because of the way they allegedly treat their women. One purpose of the present study is to determine whether Muslims are more likely to beat their wives than are members of other religions. The most recent wave of World Values Surveys examined 60 countries. One question in its survey asked whether wife beating can be justified. It used a 10-point Likert Scale where 1 = never justifiable and 10 = always justifiable. Thus, it is possible to find an answer to the question of whether Muslims are more supportive of wife beating than are members of other religious, although it does not answer the question of whether Muslims are more likely to beat their wives than are members of other religions. The present paper is part of a series on wife beating. Studies in this series examine male and female views on wife beating to determine if women think differently about this issue than men; a longitudinal study to determine whether wife beating has become more or less popular over time; two studies that examine the relationship between religion and wife beating; a study that ranks the acceptability of wife beating in 60 countries; and a study of attitudes toward wife beating in the United States. Links to these studies are provided in the reference section of this paper. The full paper may be downloaded here. http://ssrn.com/abstract=2977443 BIO Robert W. McGee is an accounting professor and best-selling novelist who has published 58 nonfiction books and more than 700 scholarly articles. He is an attorney and CPA who has lectured or worked in more than 30 countries, and has earned 13 doctorates from universities in the United

Forensic nurse examiners (FNE) are becoming integral partners in contemporary medicolegal systems worldwide. Existing forensic services have been proven inadequate to sufficiently address the vast crimes against women and children, victims of sexual and domestic violence, sociocultural crimes, abusive religious rituals, and atrocities that accompany armed conflict. Considering that nurses comprise the largest group of healthcare providers worldwide, forensic nurse examiners represent a previously unrecognized resource in universal healthcare and embody an ideal group to advance international considerations in global healthcare and social justice. Although specific legal concerns within the healthcare communities vary from country to country, all nations struggle with issues of public health and safety. A comprehensive multidisciplinary forensic education and training program for nurses will facilitate improved management of existing interpersonal and sexual violence crises while reducing an unnecessary back log of cases for forensic physicians. The addition of a forensic specialist in nursing science will provide a valuable resource to assist in the substantiation of prosecutors' claims or aid in the exoneration of suspects who are falsely accused. Their unique contributions increase coordination and cooperation, share medical/forensic expertise, enhance the care of victims of crimes while augmenting forensic services, and act as a liaison in applicable responsibilities between healthcare institutions and law enforcement agencies. The relevant literature indicates that once the Forensic Nurse Examiner Response Team is trained, specialists in forensic nursing science practice independently under the auspices of a

Forensic nursing is recognized as the most contemporary concept in forensic services, only recently introduced in India. This concept brings together resources from forensic science, healthcare and criminal justice in a common concern for the plight of victims of crime, the accused and the families of both. Forensic nursing was first introduced to a few select institutes and agencies in our country in November 2003. Since that time, an enthusiastic response has emanated from this initial prologue in New Delhi and across the Punjab. Currently, nursing students are resonating with enthusiasm to work as forensic nurse examiners. Direct beneficiaries of this development will be the experts in forensic medicine as well as police agencies. Forensic medical examiners (FME) and forensic pathologists will be able to better perform their professional duties with skilled forensic nurse associates. Society will benefit from direct services provided by forensic nurse professionals who are specif...

Background: Public and congressional attention to the Department of Defense's (DoD's) efforts to prevent and respond to sexual assault in-military (SAIM) is increasing. To promote reporting, the DoD offers (1) restricted reporting, allowing confidential reporting to designated military personnel without triggering an official investigation, and (2) unrestricted reporting, which initiates a criminal investigation.

Recently instituted sexual assault prevention and response policies and programs within the Department of Defense (DoD) have paved the way for significant improvements in the medical care of sexual assault patients in the military services. Military personnel who suffer assault are now able to choose a method of reporting that either immediately triggers an investigation or allows the incident to remain confidential. This process allows for the development of an enhanced trust in the system and allows military personnel to receive medical and forensic care on the level of their choice. Military medical professionals are continually striving to provide the highest standard of care for military personnel, DoD employees, and beneficiaries. The new policies and programs are continually taking shape; however, there are barriers to education and understanding of the sexual assault prevention and response processes that require increased coordination between military and civilian personnel and their medical services in order to provide optimum care for all patients involved.