Listen, believe, support survivors: How SANE makes a positive difference

After enduring the unthinkable, survivors of assault and abuse may not know where to turn for support and resources. Thanks to the support of donor generosity and grant funding, one place they can count on for compassionate care is the Ascension Wisconsin Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) Program.

The Ascension Wisconsin SANE program provides care and resources to survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence, human trafficking and elder abuse. SANE also connects survivors to safe shelter placement and assistance, support groups and more to further assist them on their road to healing. 

SANE first started in the emergency department of Ascension All Saints in 1992 and has since expanded to a mobile format that covers the Greater Milwaukee area and – in the past year – the Fox Valley, collectively caring for more than 900 survivors every year.

“Every hospital needs a SANE program,” said Leah Eckhart, RN, BSN, SANE-A, SANE-P, SANE Program Coordinator for the Fox Valley. “The program helps set survivors on a certain trajectory to healing that they may not have received anywhere else.”

The SANE program helps survivors from the moment they arrive in the emergency department to after, when they start to navigate their next steps.

When a survivor presents at the emergency department, a specially-trained forensic nurse conducts a medical examination, collects forensic evidence and offers compassionate emotional support.

“The forensic nurse conducts a patient-driven exam which is part of what sets this program apart from traditional care. When individuals are victimized, they’re robbed of power and control,” Leah said. “One of our biggest goals within the forensic nursing exam is to restore some of that which is done through giving choices and allowing them to pick the best path that they see for themselves.”

Along with providing medical examinations, the SANE program often provides survivors with much needed essential resources including clothing, food, personal hygiene products, transportation, safe housing assistance and more. 

SANE in action

Last year, an 18-year old woman was trafficked from Atlanta, Georgia after being lured by a male truck driver posing as a vacation companion on social media. The woman was trafficked at various truck stops from Georgia to Wisconsin, where she was ultimately abandoned.

The woman approached an attendant who then contacted the local sheriff’s department. Thanks to the proactive partnerships and training provided by the Ascension Forensic Program, the department recognized signs of human trafficking and transported her to the nearest Ascension Wisconsin facility.

SANE provided the woman with advocacy support, medical care, evidence collection and a respite bag with clothing, personal hygiene items, food, water and cash to ensure she had essentials for her journey home.

The SANE program director remained in close contact with the woman throughout her return trip, also coordinating with her parents, to confirm a safe arrival. Over the following weeks, the team continued to communicate and connect her with resources in Atlanta to support her healing journey.

Thank you for helping make this compassionate care possible.