Editorial: You can help victims of sexual assault

Rape is a monstrous crime, yet, the most underreported. The National Sexual Violence Resource Center says 63% of sexual assaults are not reported to police.There are lots of reasons for that, and Judith Linden, an associate profession of emergency medicine at Boston University, is familiar with them. Victims "are often frightened, emotionally traumatized, and embarrassed. They often fear that they will not be believed, and they may also fear for their safety if they know the assailant or if the assailant has access to their personal information."She also reports that many rape victims doubt their cases will be prosecuted successfully, a justified fear in light of the fact that fewer than half of rape cases end in convictions.But another reason comes from the medical care a rape victim may experience.Last September, Brittany Casteel and her child were carjacked and abducted from an ATM in Johnson City. She was sexually assaulted in front of her child and subsequently treated at Ballad's emergency room. Afterward, Casteel became an advocate for other victims, and 1st District Attorney General Steve Finney wrote Ballad about the negative experience she endured in the ER.Because of Casteel's advocacy, Ballad has partnered with Branch House Family Justice Center in Sullivan County to expand critical services for victims of sexual assault. A special examination room for sexual assault survivors has been established at Ballad's Johnson City hospital. It utilizes soft lighting and soothing colors to help victims feel more comfortable during their exam."It is designed to be a safe and comforting space for our survivors during some of the most vulnerable times in their lives," said Ballad's Regional Chief Nursing Officer Morgan May. "Most important, it is designed to give control back to the victim that has been taken away previously."Ballad is also funding a new position for a 24/7 on-call sexual assault nurse examiner.Such nurses are trained to provide medical care, collect evidence and offer emotional support and resources to survivors throughout their entire experience.More than 80 Ballad Health nurses across the region will go through the training program.You can be part of this effort. Advocates are working to stock the sexual assault examination room with items to help victims begin the road to recovery. The room provides a calmer, more comfortable setting, and part of creating that includes robes, blankets and new clothing for victims as well as essential oils, hair ties, toothbrushes, notebooks, slippers and cellphone chargers.Casteel is working alongside Frontier Health's Safe House to collect these items to keep in the room for victims to use and take home with them following their examination."We are requesting community support for donations of items to keep in the examination room as well as for victims and children to help make the experience more comfortable," Casteel said.Donations can be dropped off at Cranberries in Johnson City on Friday, Aug. 4, at 5 p.m. Donations can also be purchased online through an Amazon registry at tinyurl.com/ypa8ahcd.Well done, Ms. Casteel. Let's hope other treatment centers also adopt these measures.