01/11/2026
🚨 Your patient discloses they were just sexually assaulted.
What are your next steps?
Have you been trained to provide trauma-informed, evidence-preserving care?
We weren't either 😁
📢 Good news though!
The NAEMSP just released a position statement and resource document to guide EMS clinicians in the prehospital care of survivors of sexual assault, and it’s worth the read.
🧠 Key Takeaways:
🔹 Trauma-Informed Care (TIC):
▸ Ask permission before exams.
▸ Validate the survivor’s experience.
▸ Allow a support person if possible.
▸ Use the patient’s own terminology (anatomy, pronouns, etc.).
🔹 Physical Injury Assessment:
▸ Extragenital injuries (bruises, abrasions) are more common than anogenital trauma.
▸ ~23% of survivors may experience strangulation, so screen for it.
🔹 Transport Decisions:
▸ Preferentially transport stable survivors to facilities with Sexual Assault Forensic Examiner (SAFE) resources.
▸ If life-threatening trauma is suspected, go to a trauma center.
▸ In rural areas? Know where telehealth SAFE options are available.
🔹 Preserve the Evidence 🧾🧤:
▸ Advise patients not to shower, eat, change clothes, or use the restroom.
▸ Collect clothing or linens in paper bags, never plastic.
▸ Maintain chain of custody and document any transfer of evidence.
🔹 Documentation Matters 🖊️
▸ Avoid biased language e.g., use “reported sexual assault,” not “alleged.”
▸ Include emotional findings (e.g., sobbing) even if the physical exam is "normal."
▸ Be accurate, complete, and culturally competent.
👥 Special Populations Deserve Tailored Care:
▸ Pediatric (
