Journal of forensic nursing
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Review
Examining sexual assault survival of adult women: responses, mediators, and current theories.
The purpose of this article is to examine the state of the science of sexual assault research to direct future research in three key areas: responses, mediators, and current theory with a religious or spiritual focus addressing recovery. Three research questions guided the investigation of literature and the formation of this article: (a) What are common survivor responses to, and long-term effects of, sexual assault?; (b) What are mediators for recovery after sexual assault?; and (c) What theory with a religious or spiritual focus exists to address recovery from sexual assault? This research identifies significant gaps in the literature underscoring the importance of future research that examines responses to and long-term effects of sexual assault, need for mediators during recovery, and need to develop theory using religious and spiritual tenets aiding in recovery from sexual assault. Further research is necessary to develop this science, expand understanding, and support sexual assault survivors on their recovery journey.
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Little is known about the experience of people with autism in custody. A review of the literature that explored the relationship between autism and criminality and the criminal justice detention system was conducted. ⋯ There is little research that has examined the experiences of people with autism spectrum disorders in custody. There is very little to guide service design to develop autism support services for people in prison.
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The status of undocumented immigrants and current immigration legislative proposals are the subject of heated debate with both political and economic implications often overshadowing the needs of undocumented victims of abuse. This article will focus on the plight of undocumented women and children who are victims of physical, emotional, and sexual abuse perpetrated by their spouse or parent who is a citizen of the United States (by birth or naturalization). We will review the magnitude of this problem, provide a brief history of current legal protections and the potential for the U-Visa as a tool for obtaining citizenship for these victims, note the particular barriers to reporting abuse and seeking help for undocumented battered women, and suggest both nursing practices and broader advocacy to aid on overcoming the significant obstacles to accessing services faced by this vulnerable population. Although men are also victims of similar abuses and circumstance, this article will focus on victimized women and children.
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Review Case Reports
The challenges forensic nurses face when their patient is comatose: addressing the needs of our most vulnerable patient population.
Since 1996, the American Nurses Association has recognized forensic nursing as a formal specialty. Despite this recognition, Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners and Emergency Department nurses struggle with incorporating evidence collection into the care they give the unconscious or comatose patient they suspect has been sexually assaulted. Through case example, this article provides an abbreviated review of the circumstances under which these patients present for care, current challenges, and barriers in upholding the standard of forensic nursing care, as well as proposed interventions for the practicing forensic nurse.