Ahead of this month’s Articles of Note, I wanted to highlight the newly published American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG) committee opinion on sexual assault. You can read the full text here for free. However, the bottom line for those who just want to know are, of course the recommendations:
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists makes the following recommendations and conclusions regarding sexual violence:
- Sexual assault and rape are pervasive problems in the United States, creating a major effect on public health.
- Obstetrician–gynecologists and other women’s health care providers should screen all women for a history of sexual assault.
- Clinicians who evaluate survivors of sexual assault in the acute phase must comply with certain medical and legal requirements.
- Clinicians should recognize the short-term and long-term health consequences of sexual assault, such as infection, pregnancy, and mental health conditions and manage them appropriately.
- Clinicians should incorporate a trauma-informed care framework when assessing the needs of sexual assault survivors.
Pleased to see a shout out to forensic nurses and links to IAFN resources in the full opinion.
Full opinion here.
Summary here.
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