I recently had the opportunity to take part in a training with our partner organization, the International Association of Forensic Nurses (IAFN). We traveled to the Western region of the US and provided guidance to communities on developing a sexual assault forensic exam protocol. I’ve done this on previous occasions, and it is always a rewarding experience. A little background about me: I began my career in the anti-sexual violence movement by proving advocacy services for victims going through the forensic exam process at the hospital, and I eventually helped lead the response team in my community. But as I have gotten more into a prevention frame of mind over the past several years, I find that I am more removed from that direct service work. So, it’s always a good reminder to me about how both intervention and prevention work are so connected. Sometimes I get in my prevention bubble and that’s all that exists – I eat, sleep and breath prevention. But what I’ve seen with these trainings and others like it over the last few years is that participants are actively seeking ways to incorporate prevention into their response work. They, too, want to see an end to sexual violence and want to know what part they can play in that endeavor.
So, even though I was there to talk about intervention and response, I also found opportunities to talk about prevention. It made me so glad to see that the connection is being made. No matter what type of work we are doing in the anti-sexual violence movement, our work is connected and intertwined and we all have a role to play in ending sexual violence. I am so thankful to have been reminded of this once again.
What are some reminders you see in your work that connect prevention and intervention?
If you want talk about intervention and prevention work as it relates to Sexual Assault Response Teams, feel free to join the conversation on our SART Discussion Group