VAWnet News Blog

The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday will hear the appeal of a 33-year-old transgender woman from Guatemala who is seeking asylum in a case her attorney calls life or death.

TeleSANE services are expanding across the country in rural, sparsely populated areas. Research shows SANE programs encourage psychological healing, provide comprehensive health care, allow for professional evidence collection and improve the chance of a successful prosecution.

“It makes you feel a little bit more comfortable,” Godwin, 36, said of patients seeing a nurse who looks like them. “The patient might be more willing to open up.”

This week is Transgender Awareness Week and leads into Sunday's Transgender Day of Remembrance, an international observance honoring those killed by anti-transgender violence and drawing attention to the threats trans people face.

Founder Sam Hunerlach said the group’s training program empowers workers by building competence. “[G]iving people steps really, really helps. … They can go in, they know what to say, they can bring someone with them. And they can either defuse the situation or redirect it, or remove that person from the establishment. So it's just about giving them confidence.”

Visits to emergency departments related to sexual assault increased 1,533% from 2006 to 2019. Experts say the trend reflects a cultural shift.