Target Audience
This activity has been designed to meet the educational needs of nurses, physicians, and other health and legal professionals involved in the treatment and care of victims of sexual assault and domestic violence.
Statement of Need/Program Overview
The intersection between alcohol and sexual violence is well-documented in the literature, and American Indians experiencing violence are significantly more likely than any other group to report that the offender was under the influence of alcohol. For healthcare providers, it’s critical to understand this relationship and how it can impact the medical-forensic care of sexual assault patients.
Educational Objectives
After completing this activity, the participant should be better able to:
1. Define alcohol facilitated sexual assault (AFSA)
2. Describe the clinical challenges of caring for the patient presenting after AFSA
3. Identify ways that medical evidence can be helpful in prosecuting AFSA
Faculty
Jennifer M. Sommers, JD
Counsel, Monroe County (NY) Sherriff’s Office, Canandaigua, NY
Forensic Nursing Consultant, International Association of Forensic Nurses, Elkridge, MD
Faculty Bio
Jennifer M. Sommers is counsel to the Monroe County Sheriff’s Office, the largest
sheriff’s office in New York State. As counsel, she confidentially advises the sheriff and performs legal work on matters affecting the nearly 1,200 members of the office. Prior to assuming that position, she was an assistant district attorney for eleven years. The first seven years were spent prosecuting cases in a rural, upstate New York community. She spent the final four years in the Monroe County District Attorney’s Office. She was assigned to the Major Felony Bureau where she prosecuted violent felonies (such as rapes, robberies, and murders) exclusively.
Prior to law school Ms. Sommers received a bachelor’s degree in biology with a minor in chemistry and a master’s degree in toxicology. She has lectured extensively at the local, state, and national levels regarding forensics and the law.
| Title | Credit(s) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | ||
| 2 | Hours:1.5 |