We provide specialized health care, police services and agency referrals for women and men who have experienced sexual assault within the past 7 days and recent domestic violence. Below are some of the most frequently asked questions about accessing the services provided by Nina's Place:
Q. What happens when I go to the hospital?
A. When adults or youth who have experienced domestic violence and/or sexual assault present at the hospital they will be seen by the Emergency Department triage nurse and physician who will assess their health and their need for care.
Q. What happens if I take my child (aged 12 and under) to the hospital?
A. If you are a parent or guardian of a child who has told you or someone he/she has been sexually assaulted:
Q. What can I expect if I bring a child to Nina's Place?
A. We will examine and collect evidence as necessary only within 72 hours of the assault.
Q. How can I access services at Nina's Place?
A. The services at Nina's Place can be accessed in the following ways:
You will be offered choices of care. Care will be directed by your decisions and move at a pace that you are comfortable with.
The care provided at Nina's Place can be provided with or without police involvement. If you decide to have a forensic evidence kit completed and turn your clothing over as evidence, you will be provided with clothing to wear home. If an individual decides to involve the legal system she/he can meet with a police officer and give a video statement at Nina's Place.
If you choose not to involve the police for sexual assault you can make an anonymous report by making an appointment with the charge nurse or social worker at a different time to complete the forms.
The Sexual Assault Forensic Evidence Kit - What to expect
This special exam will collect evidence from areas of your body affected by the assault. It is done to provide a forensic link to the offender or the place where the assault happened. It involves a number of different tests which may include:
You may choose not to do some or any of these tests. We may also suggest that you give your clothing as evidence to see if there is any evidence on your clothing. We will give you clothing to wear home. Once the kit is completed, you can decide whether you would like us to turn the evidence over to the police. We can store the kit for up to six months, allowing you that time to decide if you want to involve the police. The examination takes about two hours to complete. It must be completed within 7 days of the sexual assault. It is important to remember that you can still report the sexual assault to police without having a sexual assault evidence kit done.
Forensic evidence collection from children is limited to only what is absolutely necessary based on the nature of the assault and the decision of the paediatrician.
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