Province expanding support program for sexual assault survivors

The province is expanding a program which provides support for victims of sexual assault.

The new forensic nurse examiner program will allow survivors to access medical care, counselling, and other community resources.

It builds on an existing sexual assault nurse examiner program at Health Sciences Centre, but the expansion allows the services to be available in Brandon, the Pas and Thompson.

“We know the demands of these services have continued to increase in recent years,” Jen Cumpsty, HSC Director of Acute Care said. “With this program, we will ensure that more Manitobans will be able to seek care closer to home.

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The $640,000 project will include the hiring of five full-time nurses who will be specially trained to work with survivors.

The program is expected to be up and running in late 2022 or early 2023.

The existing program at HSC treated 688 survivors in the 2020-21 fiscal year.