Violence and Young Women: Role of Forensic Nurses.

 

Mrs. Omana R. Shinde.

Vice-Principal, Sadhu Vaswani College of Nursing, Pune, Maharashtra

 

ABSTRACT:

Though violence and crime is prevalent in every country and society, most of them either go undetected or unreported .Forensic Medicine plays an important role in helping to prevent, early detection, providing expert medico-legal and scientific reports at earliest, which will result in quick trial and instant administration of justice to victims.

 

As the crime rate is increasing in India, there is an urgent need to give importance to Forensic Nursing too, and it should be included in the nursing curriculum, or special training for trained nurses. So that nurses would be instrumental in early identification and creating a more empowering reporting environment among vulnerable women in the community.

 

 

 

INTRODUCTION:

Indian girl participates in a street play to create awareness on violence against women during a protest ahead of the second anniversary of the deadly gang rape of a 23-year-old physiotherapy student on a bus, in New Delhi, India, Monday, Dec. 15, 2014.

 

The case sparked public outrage and helped make woman’s €safety a common topic of conversation in a country where rape is often viewed as a woman’s personal shame to bear. (AP Photo/Tsering Topgyal)

 

Despite active debates among lawmakers in Parliament, awareness campaigns and a host of measures to curb violence against women, the picture in 2014 is no less grim. If you are a woman, whether you grew up in a rural or urban setting, lived at home or ventured into a new city away from family, work in an office or manage your house full-time—the fear of sexual harassment is real and constant.

 

And it's getting worse.

 

Source: India's National Crime Records Bureau:

·        Approximately 130 million girls and women in the world have experienced female genital mutilation/cutting, with more than 3 million girls in Africa annually at risk of the practice.

·        Over 60 million girls worldwide are child brides, married before the age of 18, primarily in South Asia (31.3 million) and sub-Saharan Africa (14.1 million). Violence and abuse characterize married life for many of these girls. Women who marry early are more likely to be beaten or threatened, and more likely to believe that a husband might sometimes be justified in beating his wife.

·        From 50,703 in 2003, the number of reported cases has gone up to 118,866 in 2013 - an increase of 134% over 10 years, far out-stripping the rise in population over the same period.

·        Campaigners say that could be because the Indian government brought in a new law in 2005 to protect women against violence at home and more women are coming out to seek help  because education levels have gone up, many women are now financially independent and there's more awareness.

 

What is forensic nursing:

A high number of patients who access health care services are the victims of violence, abuse, or neglect. Professionals trained in forensic nursing are often the first line of defence for these victims when they enter the health care system. With the patient as the first priority, the actual role of forensic nurses goes far beyond medical care.

 

They have specialized knowledge of the legal system criminal activity and skills in injury identification, evaluation, and documentation. Often their proper observation, collection, and preservation of evidence can be critical in determining the legal outcome of traumatic events.

 

It is the application of forensic aspects of health care combined with bio psychosocial education of the registered nurse in the scientific investigation and treatment of trauma, death, violent or criminal activity, and traumatic accidents within the clinical or community institution (Lynch, 1991).

 

The application of forensic science, combined with clinical nursing practice as they are applied to public or     legal proceedings in the law enforcement arena.

 

Forensic nurse:

A nurse (RN) with specialized training in:

·        Forensic evidence collection

·        Criminal procedures

·        Legal testimony expertise

 

Specialty Roles:

·        Clinical forensic nurse (CFN)

·        Sexual assault nurse examiner (SANE)

·        Legal nurse consultant

·        Forensic psychiatric nurse

·        Forensic correctional nurse

·        Forensic gerontology nurse

·        Nurse attorney

·        Death investigator/Forensic nurse investigator

·        Forensic nurse educator

 

History:

·        1992-1^st national convention of sexual assault nurses

·        International Association of Forensic Nurses (IAFN)

·        1996-American Association of Nurses

 

Current status of forensic nursing:

·        New specialty area of interest

·        Education continuing to evolve

·        Colleges and universities

·        Healthcare facilities, correctional facilities, county prosecutors, coroner’s offices, medical examiner’s offices, insurance companies, psychiatric facilities& Disaster and emergency management.

 

Job description:

·        Evaluation of victims of sexual assault

·        Collect evidence (sexual assault victims and crime scenes)

·        Interview the victim

·        Investigate causes of morbidity and mortality

·        Testify in court

 

Advantages:

·        Important resource

·        Challenging and exciting

·        Different specialty areas

·        Make a difference

 

Future trends:

·        Forensic nursing will continue to advance and evolve

·        New roles and opportunities (increase in the next ten years)

·        Increasing crime rates

·        The Certificate in Nursing Forensics can help you gain foundational knowledge in forensic nursing, including:

·        Evidence collection and preservation

·        Forensic documentation the recognition of domestic violence, assault, and stalking

·        Legal and ethical issues

 

This program can prepare you to provide more specialized care for victims and perpetrators of physical, psychological, and social violence or abuse.

 

The rate of registered forensic nurses that are certified to carry out sexual assault examination is very low compared to the total number of registered nurses. Thus, this is a very viable career option for nurses today. 

 

 

Currently sexual assault examinations by forensic nurses are offered for free to any rape victims who are willing to be examined in at least one hospital in every county in the U.S. under a program started in year 2000.

 

These forensic nurses are responsible for examining the rape victims and also contributing to the foundation of legal cases for these victims which shows that the role of forensic nurses in sexual assault is increasing.

 

This State-wide rape victims exam system has not only modified the role of forensic nurses but it has gone further to stress on the importance of rape victims seeking medical attention immediately.

 

Forensic nurses have the task of acting fast to persuade victims to seek medical attention fast to avoid cases of evidence being destroyed.

 

Evidence in rape cases can be easily destroyed if a victim uses the bathroom or showers. Forensic nurses are usually aware that they need to find evidence quick if a rape case is to stand any chance of success thus they have to gently persuade their victims to agree to a quick exam.

 

The roles of forensic nurses from different states in the U.S. are enrolling for certification exams to learn how to carry out proper sexual assault examinations.

 

The certification process involves spending time learning about trauma, anatomy, victim and suspect exams, pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases. The nurses are also taught about proper ways of evidence collection and preservation, the law and courts, testifying, violence, suspect profiling and referrals to victim services.

 

Before being certified, forensic nurses also need to acquire some form of clinical experience that is crucial to passing a number of certification tests. Forensic nurses also have to be re-certified annually in order to make sure that they are kept informed in sexual assault examinations/procedures.

 

CONCLUSION:

Together Everyone Accomplishes More She is Clothed with Strength and Dignity,  She Laughs Without Fear of the Future. Proverbs 31-25.

 

“Woman must not accept; she must challenge. She must not be awed by that which has been built up around her; she must reverence that woman in her which struggles for expression.” — Margaret Sanger.

 

REFERENCES:

1        http://www.endvawnow.org/en/articles/299-fast-facts-statistics-on-violence-against-women-and-girls-.html

2        http://www.huffingtonpost.in/2014/12/16/crime-against-women-india_n_6330736.html

3        http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-29708612

4        Martin, N. (2009). Forensic nursing: What, who, where. The Kansas Nurse, 84(3), 3-5.

5        Pyrek, K. (2009). Forensic nursing pioneers ponder the future. Retrieved from http://www.forensicnursemag.com/articles/3b1cover.html

6        Forensic nurse: Job outlook for forensic nursing. Retrieved from http://education-portal.com/articles/Forensic_Nurse:_Job_Outlook_for_Forensic_Nursing.html

7        http://www.mynursingdegree.com/forensic-nursing-certificate-online:

8        India's National Crime Records Bureau

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Received on 08.03.2016           Modified on 22.04.2016

Accepted on 25.04.2016           © A&V Publication all right reserved