Forensic Compliance: Where do we stand in 2012?

Dear Ben,

NCASV is sending this message on behalf of End Violence Against Women International (EVAWI) & the International Association of Forensic Nurses (IAFN).

Just a reminder that EVAWI is teaming up with the IAFN to offer a webinar series on the topic of forensic compliance.

Webinar offered on two separate dates:

Tuesday, February 7th, 2012
11:00am - 12:30pm PST / 2:00pm — 3:30pm EST
REGISTER

Thursday, February 16th, 2012
11:00am - 12:30pm PST / 2:00pm — 3:30pm EST
REGISTER

Register now! FREE!

Survey of Registrants

A primary goal of this webinar series is to share information on how
communities are implementing policies and procedures to achieve the “spirit”
as well as the “letter” of the law in VAWA 2005. Therefore, we are asking all
webinar registrants to complete a brief survey telling us about their community
policies and procedures. We will compile the information to present
during the webinars.
After you register for the webinar, you will receive more information
about this survey. Survey responses will be due by February 1st.

Description of the Webinar

All states and territories must certify that they are in compliance with
VAWA 2005 requirements for medical forensic examinations. Specifically,
exams must be available to sexual assault victims: 1) free of charge, and
2) regardless of their decision to participate in the criminal justice process.

Communities have faced considerable challenges in designing
protocols that are compliant, in areas such as: the initial
response to a sexual assault disclosure, payment for
the medical forensic examination, mandatory reporting to law enforcement,
storage and transportation of evidence, case tracking and retrieval,
processing of evidence,
and the potential for evidence-based prosecution (i.e., without the
victim’s cooperation). For many states and territories, the changes
that are required in public policy and daily practice have been
described as “monumental.”