WASHINGTON, DC - The Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations, chaired by Rep. Gregg Harper (R-MS), announced a hearing for Wednesday, December 5 at 10:15 a.m. in room 2322 of the Rayburn House Office Building. The hearing is entitled, “Examining the Availability of SAFE Kits at Hospitals in the United States."
#SubOversight is continuing its investigation into the availability of Sexual Assault Forensic Exams (“SAFE kits") and sexual assault nurse examiners (SANEs) at hospitals across the country. According to the International Association of Forensic Nurses, currently only about 15 percent of hospitals in the United States provide SAFE kits. Earlier this year, committee leaders sent letters to 15 hospitals and 10 hospital associations seeking information about what services are offered to survivors, existing and potential partnerships with crisis centers and law enforcement, and best practices for patient care.
“It is unconscionable that a survivor of sexual assault seeking care could be turned away or forced to travel long distances to obtain necessary forensic nursing services," said #SubOversight Chairman Harper. “Next week’s hearing will continue our work to identify challenges and find solutions, so we can work toward ensuring that all sexual assault survivors have access to these vital services."
The Majority Memorandum, witness list, and witness testimony for the hearing will be available here as they are posted.
