1.12 Why We Need Advocates

Without advocates to speak up for survivors’ needs, the following situations are extremely common:

1. A sexual assault survivor may come to the emergency department for care, but because their wounds are considered less serious than the critically ill or injured, they may have to wait for 4-12 hours in a busy public area without being allowed to eat, drink or urinate for fear of destroying evidence.

2. Healthcare providers may be insufficiently trained to do medical forensic exams and may lack the ability to provide expert witness testimony in court.

3. Even if the survivor’s medical needs are met, their emotional needs may go ignored.

4. Healthcare providers may blame the survivor for the sexual assault, either explicitly or implicitly.

5. Healthcare providers may be reluctant to do a medical forensic exam because they are untrained in how to collect evidence, because they do not want to take the time away from other medically urgent patients or because they do not want to testify in court. As a result, documentation of evidence may be rushed, inadequate or incomplete. Many doctors may even refuse to even do a medical forensic exam.