Nova Scotia Health has ceased offering a specialized nurse service for gathering evidence from intimate partner violence victims not involving sexual assault due to unintended repercussions in the legal system. The Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner Program (SANE), established in 2000, had recently extended its services to cover intimate partner violence cases beyond sexual assault incidents.
Janelle Comeau, the director of violence prevention intervention and response program at Nova Scotia Health, highlighted issues with the expansion. Victims provided differing statements to the nurse and law enforcement, leading to challenges in court, even though it is common for statements to evolve over time. Comeau mentioned that unnecessary DNA collection was also performed in cases without sexual assault, as the victims typically knew their abusers, often their intimate partners.
The program, which integrated intimate partner violence cases, concluded in December after concerns were raised about the trauma-inducing effects on survivors during court questioning. Despite this change, Dawn Ferris, the executive director of the Cumberland County Transition House Association, recognized the rationale behind the decision, acknowledging that inconsistencies in victims’ statements could be used against them in court proceedings.
Although the attempt to support victims in this manner was unsuccessful, Ferris expressed the importance of maintaining certain aspects, such as providing swift access to privacy for intimate partner violence patients without the need for a SANE nurse. Ferris emphasized the necessity for improved systems that are more trauma-informed to better address the ongoing domestic violence epidemic.
While IPV victims not subjected to sexual assault will still receive necessary community support, Comeau assured that the SANE program had not faced any financial or staffing reductions and would continue its focus on assisting sexual assault survivors, reaffirming their commitment to meeting the community’s needs.