UMCP certified to perform rape kits

After years of complaints from students and sexual health staff that suitable facilities for collecting evidence of rape were too far away from the University, the University Medical Center at Princeton (UMCP) became certified to perform sexual assault examinations late last year.

UMCP recently announced plans to move from its current Witherspoon Street location, but officials say they do not believe it will affect the quality of care or the accessibility of rape kits.

The hospital's new location has not yet been determined, though it will be in Princeton Borough or Township. The move will take place within the next five years.

University Chief Medical Officer Daniel Silverman said he is "pretty confident the new facility will still only be minutes away from campus and should not have a great impact on access to care."

In the past, students who wished for physical evidence to be collected had to travel to New Brunswick. They would usually be accompanied by University Health Services staff. The University, which investigated offering a rape kit capability in McCosh Health Center, is able to provide treatment, but could not collect physical evidence due to stringent state requirements.

UMCP has already performed the rape kit, said hospital director of emergency services Nancy Panarella, though she said she did not know whether the victim was affiliated with the University.

Public Safety Lt. Duncan Harrison said he knew "of one occasion in the past few months where a student who had gone to SHARE [Sexual Harassment/Assault Advising, Resources and Education] needed transportation to the hospital."

A rape kit, which could be needed if the victim wishes to take successful legal action against her assailant, consists of an examination of a victim by a nurse who has undergone extensive training in collecting evidence of assault. Physical evidence is collected under highly meticulous standards, and the process frequently requires the use of a colposcope, a $30,000 digital device used to take pictures of microscopic cuts and bruises.

Before the rape kits became available at UMCP in November, sexual assault treatment was only offered at three other sites in the county, with Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick being the closest major site to the University.

The availability of comprehensive sexual assault care at UMCP "makes it more convenient not only for the victim but also for investigators" if there is an assault at the University, said Charles Davall, Public Safety deputy director for operations and former Borough police chief.

Rape kit funding was said to be among the University's "highest needs and priorities" for its 2004-05 budget, but funds were ultimately allocated to the counseling center instead at Silverman's urging.

Panarella said she contacted the Mercer County prosecutor's office about certifying UMCP to perform rape kits in response to growing concerns that neither the University nor the hospital had the proper equipment and staff to respond to patients who claimed to have been assaulted.

Get the best of the ‘Prince’ delivered straight to your inbox. Subscribe now »

The state has provided UMCP with new equipment as part of the certification process because it is necessary for treatment to be standardized across NJ counties.

"We keep the equipment locked when not in use because it is used for evidence collection, and we want to make sure no one tampers with it," Panarella said.

A handful of nurses employed by UMCP have been certified as Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANE) and are able to perform complete forensic examinations and evidence collection, Panarella said. The SANEs can also prescribe medications to prevent pregnancy and sexually transmitted diseases in the wake of an assault.

Panarella said that, if a patient claims to have been sexually assaulted, the hospital "call[s] the SART [sexual assault response team] to the site for strictly confidential patient care." Members of the SART team are then available to counsel the victim on medical, emotional and legal issues related to the assault.

"We care that the care for the sexually assaulted victim is free of charge and that patients feel comfortable being treated," Panarella said.

Citing his prior experience in the Borough, Davall said UMCP's certification is sure to help victims. "Given that it's closer if the victim wants treatment and support, it's more comforting to be in Princeton," he said.