Title	Treating Rape Survivors: Progress in the Treatment of Sexual Assault Survivors ...
Author
Synopsis	A report by Mark Green, Public Advocate for New York City
Description	We found that these hospitals had insufficient emergency room social worker coverage -- especially late at night and on weekends, the periods of peak need -- and lacked trained non-staff rape crisis intervention counselors. Some hospitals failed to provide a private or quiet place to conduct the necessary examinations and, in a few of the hospitals, the report found that rape survivors had to wait with the general population in hectic emergency room waiting areas. Sometimes there were lengthy treatment delays after the initial admission. We also noted widespread absence of inter-departmental coordination of sexual assault survivor treatment. We concluded that Kings County Hospital treated rape survivors the worst. Only one hospital -- Bellevue -- had a trained-volunteer rape crisis counseling program. Aftershock was prompted by the horrendous experience of a woman who was taken to Woodhull Hospital after being raped early Sunday, October 9, 1994. As reported in the press, the Brooklyn art teacher, clad in only an examination gown, was left to wait a long time near handcuffed male prisoners and was examined in an area separated solely by a curtain from other emergency room patients. She was discharged without any transportation money. B. After Aftershock After the release of Aftershock, we wrote to each HHC hospital asking for an explanation of how the identified deficiencies would be addressed. The Office of the Public Advocate received written answers from most of the hospitals, responding generally to our findings and in several instances outlining plans to address the issues we raised. Between March and August 1996, we reexamined the treatment of rape survivors in HHC emergency rooms, re-visiting eight HHC hospitals and conducting telephone interviews with officials of the other three. We found remarkable progress at many of the facilities. Several HHC hospitals now have excellent rape crisis counseling programs and a few could well serve as models for all hospitals. All but a few hospitals have started or soon will inaugurate rape crisis counseling programs with trained volunteers, others have extended emergency room social worker hours, modified treatment protocols, and in some instances upgraded physical facilities to improve sexual assault survivor treatment. There is a new-found focus throughout the system on providing sexual assault survivors with sensitive treatment. ...
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