The Duquesne University School of Nursing is one of eight higher education institutions across the country recently awarded a U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) grant designed to offer medical forensic care, advocacy and other victim services to sexual assault survivors on university campuses.
Dr. Alison Colbert, associate professor in the School of Nursing, received nearly $500,000 of the funding to develop and implement the DUSON Campus SANE Network, a model to enhance sexual assault health care on small- to medium-sized university campuses, with an emphasis on those in rural areas.
“We know that sexual assault on campus remains a problem. And the effect on survivors lasts well beyond the college years. We also know that there are issues specific to the campus environment that warrant tailored services, and this is even more true in rural areas. This grant will allow us to expand our broader efforts to ensure that all victims of sexual assault have access to high-quality, patient-centered care,” says Colbert. The program will equip student health nurses with the skills to provide care and connect students to critical services in a compassionate and trauma-informed way. Campus-based nurses will also be prepared to lead efforts combating sexual violence.
Duquesne University School of Nursing Blog 