Sexual Assault Forensic Examination (SAFE) Program

If it has been seven days or less since the assault, a forensic exam may be completed. This is an examination that is completed in the emergency department by a specially trained SAFE examiner, or with support of an expert examiner by telehealth. The examiner will explain every step of the exam and you decide which parts of the exam to have completed.

Reporting to the police is up to you. The examiner can support you to report to police.

If you are not ready to report to police, an examiner can explain your options to you, which may involve transfer to a site that can collect and store evidence in case you change your mind about reporting, or providing medical care in the ED.

Support people of your choosing are welcome to stay with you during your hospital visit. This may include Indigenous Patient Navigators, community support services, or a person of your choosing. It is up to you if they are in the room for part or all of your hospital visit. Hospital staff can offer options and contact support people for you.

If the child or youth has experienced sexual or physical abuse/assault.

If possible, before arriving at the hospital:

• If the patient needs to pee, collect the urine, or most recent dirty diaper and bring it to the hospital noting the time of collection
• If the patient has not eaten, avoid food and drink if possible
• Do not shower or bathe the child
• Do not wash the child’s genitals
• Do not change the child’s clothes (bring a change of clothes with you)
• Do not brush the child’s hair or teeth

It is OK if the child has done any or all of the above. The child should still be brought to the emergency department for assessment.

The team of health-care providers including doctors, nurses, and social workers may:

• Physically examine the child
• Provide the child and family with support and referrals which may include: The IH Suspected Child Abuse and Neglect (SCAN) Clinic, Safe Kids & Youth (SKY) Coordinated Response (Trail/Nelson and area), Child Advocacy Centre of Kelowna, Oak Child and Youth Advocacy Centre (Vernon), and Big Bear Child and Youth Advocacy Centre (Kamloops)

“Forensic” means something relates to courts of law. A “forensic examination” means that evidence may be collected or information documented to be used in a court case. The legal system does not need to be involved for you to have SAFE care.

The length of the exam varies. You can expect to be at the hospital for two to four hours.

YES! You can have a support person of your choosing with you at the hospital. At some sites there are community or hospital resources that can be with you if you would like. They can be there for all or some of the exam, depending on your comfort level.

You can support someone who was sexually assaulted by listening and offering comfort. Believe what they tell you and reinforce that they are not at fault. Support them if they want to go to the hospital, or report to police. Let them know about some of the resources available on this site for counselling or support.

You can support your child by listening and offering comfort. If they choose to attend the hospital, reassure them that they will be able to choose their care during their hospital visit. If your child does not want to attend the hospital, do not force them. There are resources on this page that can support individuals who have been sexually assaulted.

Has Someone You Care About Been Sexually Assaulted?

• Silence: Just because someone does not say “no” doesn’t mean they are saying “yes”
• Having consented before: Just because someone said “yes” in the past does not mean they are saying “yes” now. Consent must be part of every sexual activity, every time.
• Being in a relationship: Being married, dating, or having sexual contact with someone before does not mean that there is consent now
• Not fighting back: Not putting up a physical fight does not mean that there is consent.
• Clothing, dancing, or flirting: What a person wears or how they behave does not show consent for sexual activity. Only a verbal “yes” means “yes” to sexual activity.

A video explanation of consent

Yes. Sexual assault is any sexual activity you do not consent to – regardless of who the other person is. Sexual assault by an intimate partner (someone you have a sexual or romantic relationship with) is common. 

Tests to determine if you were drugged are not routinely completed by the hospital. Blood and urine can be collected to be given to police or stored at the hospital if you are unsure about reporting to the police at that time. Police send the blood to the forensic laboratory for analysis.

It is important to note that the body processes drugs and alcohol quickly, so having no evidence of either in your system does not mean that you were not drugged. 

Someone who is drunk, drugged, or high on drugs cannot give consent. An attacker may use drugs or alcohol making you unable to consent, understand what is happening, or able to remember the assault. Someone who has been drinking or using drugs is unable to consent. If you suspect you were sexually assaulted but cannot remember, the SAFE team can support you.

You can report to the police at any time. If you have stored evidence from your examination, it will be available for one year from the date of the examination. After that, the documentation will remain available indefinitely. Your examiner will give you information about reporting to police if you choose to at a later date.

Testing for a Sexually Transmitted Infections (STIs) at the hospital is not routinely done. A test will not be able to show if you were given an STI during the assault.

Your examiner will give you information about when to get follow up testing. In IH, testing for HIV and syphilis is available without a doctor’s order.

For more information:

Visit our HIV & Health Outreach webpage

Visit our Syphilis webpage

You do not have to do anything you do not want to do. Your examiner can explain what medications may be given. They include antibiotics to prevent developing an STI, the morning after pill to prevent pregnancy, HIV post exposure prophylaxis (PEP) (if indicated), and Hepatitis B prevention and vaccination.

We cannot always tell if someone has been assaulted. If you have reason to suspect you were assaulted, the examination can still be completed.