WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Claire McCaskill (D-Mo.) and Mark Udall (D-Colo.) urged the U.S. Department of Education today to require in forthcoming rules implementing the Campus Sexual Violence Elimination (SaVE) Act that colleges and universities inform sexual assault survivors of the availability of sexual assault nurse examiners on campus and in nearby communities. McCaskill and Udall wrote that this information would ensure that sexual assault survivors have increased access to information about the services and support they need.

“If readily available and adequately trained, forensic nurses can serve as a critical resource for those seeking justice and starting the healing process. These nurses can ensure greater reliability of forensic evidence, as well as offer information, treatment and referrals for any health concerns of a survivor,” McCaskill and Udall wrote in the letter. “And, as one of the first people to make contact with a survivor following an assault, forensic nurses can provide a safe environment to encourage survivors to seek other necessary services — whether it be educational, legal or otherwise. Acknowledging that college campuses face increased risks for sexual violence, increasing access to forensic nurses within these communities would provide sexual assault survivors with the information and tools they need to recover and seek justice.”

McCaskill and Udall have fought to ensure Americans have ready access to emergency medical personnel trained in conducting sexual assault forensic examinations.

To read the Udall-McCaskill letter, click HERE