The London Beat London, Ontario’s stream of consciousness
The Regional Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Treatment Program (RSADVTP) at St. Joseph’s Hospital, are having an open house tomorrow to unveil a new interview room to serve victims of sexual abuse and human trafficking. Victims will now be able to give a statement to police without leaving the comforting, supportive environment of the RSADVT at the hospital thanks to an expanded partnership between St. Joseph’s Health Care London and the London Police Service.
The RSADVP serves London as well as Oxford, Elgin, Huron-Perth and Middlesex counties, and provides 24-hour-7-days-a-week care for women, children and men who have experienced sexual assault, sexual abuse and domestic violence. Since March 2017, the RSADVTP team has been working with London Police’s Human Trafficking Unit to provide initial examination, testing, and medical and psychological care for victims rescued by police. Th RSADVTP team is the first point of care for these individuals.
“The interview room at the RSADVTP was initiated to provide better service to victims and survivors of sexual assault,” said Detective Sergeant Dave Poustie of the Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Section. “It is an effort to minimize trauma by limiting the number of times a victim has to recount their story. All can be done in one place, if that is what the victim wishes.”
By creating the interview room at St. Joseph’s, investigators from the Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Section or the Human Trafficking Unit can improve their support for for those seeking care, by offering a more comfortable environment to conduct an on-camera interview with the victim.
“Those coming to our program are often very exhausted and stressed by their ordeal,” said Cassandra Fisher, Coordinator of the RSADVTP. “Being able to provide a statement to police after receiving care without having to leave our program is truly a patient-centred approach. They have the choice of receiving care, counselling, involving police, all three, or any combination of those options.”
The open house tomorrow coincides with Sexual Assault Awareness Month, and will offer a look at the new interview room, and all of the services of the RSADVTP. The public are invited to drop by from 2:00 to 5:00 pm, at St. Joseph’s Hospital, Zone B, Level 0, Room B0-644.
More About the RSADVTP
A team of specialized nurses, doctors and social workers are available 24/7 to provide care at the time of the assault and in the months following the incident. There are many options for care and each individual can choose what he or she wants to do depending on the nature of the assault and the time since the assault:
- emotional support/crisis intervention to the patient and significant other
- counseling; physical examination
- testing, prevention, and/or treatment of sexually transmitted infections initially and in follow-up
- HIV prevention medication
- testing and/or prevention of pregnancy due to sexual assault
- documentation/photographs of injuries
- forensic evidence collection
- safety planning
- referrals as needed
For more information, contact:
Dahlia Reich, Communication & Public Affairs
St. Joseph’s Health Care London
T. 519 646-6100 ext. 65294
C. 519 619-0971
dahlia.reich@sjhc.london.on.ca
Constable Josh Kenny
Relief Media Relations Officer
London Police Service
T. 519 661-5410
C. 519-854-8576
mediaofficer@police.london.ca
