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October 27, 2018 2018-10-27T16:00:00 4:00 PM - 8:00 PM 836 Reynolds StreetAugusta, GA30901 Admission: Free to the...
Thursday, Aug. 4, 2016 News 12 NBC 26 at 6 O’Clock
AIKEN, S.C. (WRDW/WAGT) — Aiken Regional Medical Center has a new program to help with a situation heard all too often.
“The next thing I remember I was on a gurney in a hallway,” a story of sexual assault read by Aiken Regional Forensic Nurse Coordinator Cassie Taylor.
But a new program connecting hospitals and law enforcement from five different counties to Aiken Regional and a team of forensic nurses.
“If the patient is from Allendale that’s quite a far ride to Aiken,” Taylor said, “We provide or we make sure that the sheriff’s department or hospital or whoever is sending the patient provides transportation for that patient to the hospital.”
Aiken Regional has completed 78 forensic kits for victims since starting in 2015. Now this program not only helps those victims, but shines a light on South Carolina’s growing issues.
“We can always do a lot more and there’s always more to do in our state. Last year in domestic violence, South Carolina was ranked number one in the country on women who are killed by their partners and that’s just an unacceptable number,” South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson said.
Part of the problem across the country can be found across the road from Aiken Regional.
“Especially being right here next to a college campus where people don’t always make the best decisions when it comes to alcohol and parties,” Taylor said.
Students are aware of the issue, but until programs like this start the conversation, there is no conversation.
“It happens to a lot of people that are really close to you and they a lot of time don’t want to talk about it and it kind of makes everybody in an awkward mood when it does come up and people don’t know how to talk about it,” Amanda Benjamin said, a sophomore at USC Aiken.
The hope is to start here in Aiken, but for the rest of the state to take off from there.
“It’s out there and I think this day when we’re doing our celebration signing here it’s going to get the word out that this is happening, this is reality,” Taylor said.
Once school starts this fall Aiken Regional is planning to go to USC Aiken and high schools in the area to give more awareness to sexual assault.
Wednesday, Aug. 3, 2016
AIKEN, S.C. (WRDW/WAGT) — Aiken Regional Medical Center is set to host a signing ceremony for their Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner Referral program.
According to a press release, Aiken Regional Medical Center (ARMC) becomes the first hospital in South Carolina to have a contract for a Sexual Assault Referral Program. ARMC and the University of South Carolina Aiken will host a signing party for their nurses who are on call 24 hours a day and perform forensic evidence collection for pediatric, adolescent and adult cases.
The ceremony will be Aug. 4 at 1 p.m. at the USCA conference center.
The contract will be signed between ARMC and Edgefield hospital, Allendale hospital, CUMBEE center, and several law enforcement agencies, according to the press release.
The only other sexual assault referral programs only have verbal agreements with local facilities. Advocacy agencies have been pushing very hard to pass legislation to mandate hospitals have referral programs, according to the press release.
Heather Radford, the Director of Emergency Services at ARMC stated:
“We are very proud of the sexual assault referral program that Aiken Regional Medical Centers now has with Allendale Community Hospital, Edgefield County Hospital and the surrounding law enforcement agencies. Since the start of our program in March of 2015, the forensic team at Aiken Regional has performed 78 forensic evidence kits. Over the last year ARMC has partnered with agencies in Aiken, Allendale, Barnwell, Edgefield, McCormick and Saluda counties to make this program a success. The program will allow our community and surrounding areas access to the best care for sexual assaults.”
Source: News
October 27, 2018 2018-10-27T16:00:00 4:00 PM - 8:00 PM 836 Reynolds StreetAugusta, GA30901 Admission: Free to the...
October 25, 2018 2018-10-25T17:30:00 5:30 PM - 8:00 PM 103 Diamond lakes WayHephzibah, GA30815 706-821-1754 ...
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