Faster forensic medical exams in SA

The South Australian Royal Commission into Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence has released its findings - and they are damning.

Right now, victim-survivors across South Australia are left to endure agonising delays, forced to travel very long distances to access care after reporting sexual assault, including access to forensic medical examinations. These examinations collect evidence, support the victim-survivor’s account of what has taken place, and can help identify the offender.

The Commission has made several practical and important recommendations for how to ensure faster access to this care.

Members of the SA Government will be paying close attention right now to what they’re hearing from their communities about this report.

Can you email your SA representative and make sure they act to ensure faster support for victim-survivors of sexual assault?

The South Australian Royal Commission into Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence has released its findings - and they are damning.

Right now, victim-survivors across South Australia are left to endure agonising delays, forced to travel very long distances to access care after reporting sexual assault, including access to forensic medical examinations. These examinations collect evidence, support the victim-survivor’s account of what has taken place, and can help identify the offender.

The Commission has made several practical and important recommendations for how to ensure faster access to this care.

Members of the SA Government will be paying close attention right now to what they’re hearing from their communities about this report.

Can you email your SA representative and make sure they act to ensure faster support for victim-survivors of sexual assault?

Email your MP: Ensure faster support for victim-survivors

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Subject:

I am writing as your constituent to urge you to act on the findings of the South Australian Royal Commission into Domestic, Family and Sexual Violence.

I am concerned that victim-survivors across South Australia face unacceptable barriers to accessing critical care after sexual assault.

The Commission found that many victim-survivors are travelling extremely long distances to access a forensic medical examination. For example, victim-survivors in Port Lincoln have to travel up to 7 hours one-way to Adelaide, and a 17-year-old girl in regional South Australia was forced to make an 8-hour round trip to access a forensic medical examination following an alleged assault.

I urge you to ensure the following Royal Commission’s recommendations are implemented without delay:

- Develop and resource a statewide model of care for forensic medical examinations. (Rec 53)

- Invest in ensuring timely access to forensic medical examinations for all victim-survivors, including in regional areas. (Rec 54)

- Allow registered midwives to conduct forensic medical examinations. (Rec 55)

- Stop the practice of charging victim-survivors without Medicare for for health
responses to sexual violence, including forensic medical examinations. (Rec 56)

- Ensure relevant healthcare providers are screening for and responding to instances of non-fatal strangulation. (Rec 57)

It is essential that this issue is prioritised. Victim-survivors cannot afford to wait for critical care after sexual assault. I look forward to hearing back from you on this issue.

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