WATCH: SANEs and survivors in the South, a listening session with the Gulf States Newsroom

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Illustration by Nolen Strals for the Gulf States Newsroom and Type Investigations

Illustration by Nolen Strals for the Gulf States Newsroom and Type Investigations

In partnership with Type Investigations, public health reporter Drew Hawkins spent more than a year investigating the challenges that survivors and nurses in the Gulf South face in accessing trauma-informed forensic care in sexual assault cases. One of the biggest hurdles he discovered was the shortage of sexual assault nurse examiners in the region. 

Drew produced a longread feature and an episode of the Gulf States Gumbo on this subject. On Thursday, July 17, the Gulf States Newsroom hosted a virtual discussion of Drew’s reporting — highlighting its impact with survivors, advocates and health care professionals. Drew was joined by community engagement producer Nellie Beckett and a panel of experts, including: 

  • Sharlotta Sharp, RN, SANE-A, SANE-P, a special projects coordinator and state SANE coordinator for Mississippi Coalition Against Sexual Assault. She is also a TeleSANE for the University of Arkansas Medical Science Systems and a Consultant for the Department of Defense.
  • Julie Ford, a survivor of sexual assault and PhD student who studies the experiences of survivors of violence. She also volunteers with local organization Crime Survivors NOLA, who provide a free guide to help people navigate complex systems after violent crime.
  • Morgan Lamandre, Esq., the CEO of Sexual Trauma Awareness & Response (STAR), a non-profit sexual assault center with three locations in Louisiana. Morgan has been involved with the organization since 2007, beginning as a volunteer hospital advocate and becoming a full-time staff member in 2013.

You can watch the full listening session below.

 

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