ABSTRACT
The past 25 years have witnessed significant reform in sexual assault law and the protection of women. Many of these reforms come from the implementation of SANE (sexual assault nurse examiner) programs and SART (sexual assault response team; referred to hereafter as SANE and SART). The SANE is a specially trained, certified, registered nurse who has forensic training and clinical education to help victims of sexual assault. These nurses offer victims compassionate care and are responsible for collecting evidence that could potentially lead to the arrest, prosecution, and conviction of the assailant. SANEs often work as part of a SART-a coordinated, multidisciplinary community effort that includes law enforcement, detectives, victim advocates, and the SANE (U.S. Department of Justice 2004). SANE/SART programs provide victims with emotional and mental support but also make the task of evaluating the victim and collecting important evidence as private and sensitive as possible.
