Healing Amidst Trauma: Addressing Sexual Assault and Gender based Violence in Survivors

This is the third in the series “Clinical Care of Survivors of Torture Grand Rounds” hosted by The National Capacity Building (NCB) Project at the Center for Victims of Torture and The Harvard Program in Refugee Trauma. This was held on September 18, 2024.
 
The National Capacity Building (NCB) Project at the Center for Victims of Torture and The Harvard Program in Refugee Trauma are pleased to announce a special training series, “Clinical Care of Survivors of Torture, National Grand Rounds.” The National Grand Rounds are a one-hour sessions and free to attend. This was the second lecture in the series of three. This was the last in it’s series, held on September, 18, 2024.
 

Description

Many healthcare providers may lack training in physical examination, diagnosis and treatment of victims of sexual assault and gender-based violence (GBV), including the recognition and management of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) as well as in the thorough documentation of physical and psychological evidence of abuse, which is crucial for both medical treatment and potential legal proceedings
 
This presentation will include an overview of the physical examination, diagnosis and treatment of non-acute survivors of sexual assault and gender based violence. Trauma informed principles of physical assessment and history taking will be reviewed. Specific physical findings including non fatal strangulation will be included. There will be an overview of STI diagnostics and empiric prophylaxis, as well as pregnancy prevention and the treatment of physical injuries. Screening for STIs and potential HIV exposure using nucleic acid amplification tests (NAATs) and other diagnostics as well as considering vaccinations for HPV and other preventable conditions will be discussed.
 

Presenter

Kathleen Donner Ecker, MSN
 

Target Audience

This program is intended for: psychiatrists, psychologists, fellows, residents, interns and nurses.
 

Learning Objectives

Upon completion of the activity, participants will be able to:

• Demonstrate the ability to recognize the physical and psychological indicators of gender-based violence (GBV) and sexual assault.
• List common extragenital physical findings of sexual assault patient, including strangulation.
• Describe the medical management of injuries related to GBV and sexual assault, including, STI prophylaxis, pregnancy prevention, and mental health support.