The fight against one of the country’s most staggering domestic violence statistics has been a formidable one in recent years. But 12 Intermountain Health nurses in Brighton are facing it head-on.
“We do see a fair amount of strangulation patients, and the cases get worse every time,” said emergency department manager Jessica Weaver, with Intermountain Health Platte Valley Hospital. Research shows that a single strangulation incident increases a victim’s risk of homicide by over 600%.
This urgency led Weaver to launch the Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) program at Platte Valley Hospital in 2024, after being approached by the Adams County District Attorney. “There were too many victims and not enough nearby resources,” said Weaver.
The SANE program provides critical, compassionate service for victims through specially trained nursing staff, equipment, and specialized patient care facilities to treat and collect forensic evidence from victims who have experienced sexual violence and domestic abuse.
Nurses are required to complete 64 hours of online specialty training in forensics, as well as additional hands-on education with a forensics team in Colorado Springs. Platte Valley Hospital is one of the few hospitals in Colorado to offer this program, with at least one of their specialty-trained nurses on site at all times. Last year, they treated 124 patients and are on track to surpass that number before the end of 2025.
“There’s not as many medical care options out east, and so we’re seeing an increase in numbers of those patients that need this specialty type of forensic care,” said Weaver.
The customized treatment allows assault survivors to have forensic evidence collected with the same nurse who performs their initial medical exam. The alternative is to be transferred to a second facility for evidence collection and forensic exam. “It’s already very traumatic and difficult to do all of that with one set of providers, much less two or three. This way, they’re in the care of a nurse they’ve become comfortable with,” said Weaver.
The program represents a partnership with area police departments, courts, district attorneys’ offices and special victim’s units. If a patient chooses to report the crime and later press charges, then the forensic evidence collected by Platte Valley’s SANE program will provide an important resource for the police investigation and successful prosecution in the courts.
Colorado ranked No. 10, nationwide in human trafficking reports in 2023. It was a record high number of state cases, with the largest share being reported from Adams County where Platte Valley Hospital is located.
The SANE program currently examines patients aged 15 and up. Younger patients are currently treated at a nearby Children’s Hospital for forensic exams, though Platte Valley Hospital is looking to expand the program to admit pediatric patients in the future.
For a statewide list of domestic and sexual assault resources, visit the Colorado Coalition Against Sexual Assault website at ccasa.org, or call 303-839-9999. The National Sexual Violence Resource Center also offers 24/7 support through their confidential hotline and online chat service.
Visit: nsvrc.org or call 1-800-656-4673 for more information.
