Clinic hones sexual assault exam skills during training

Certified staff from the Stuttgart Army Health Clinic used their Friday training afternoon April 15 to honor Sexual Assault Awareness Month by honing their skills in the Sexual Assault Medical Forensic Exam.
Certified staff from the Stuttgart Army Health Clinic used their Friday training afternoon April 15 to honor Sexual Assault Awareness Month by honing their skills in the Sexual Assault Medical Forensic Exam.

Story and photos by Robyn Mack
USAG Stuttgart Public Affairs Office

The Stuttgart Army Health Clinic honored Sexual Assault Awareness Month with training focused on the Sexual Assault Medical Forensic Exam April 15.

Lt. Col. (Dr.) Patrick Contino, the clinic’s medical director, led the training for clinic staff that are credentialed forensic examiners and assistants.

The training provides hands-on refresher training needed to complete the multistep process while also providing a venue to practice communication skills needed to interact with a victim, said U.S. Army Staff Sgt. Linda Gatlin, the Patient Administration Division noncommissioned officer in charge.

The training included the exam kit procedures, proper swabbing techniques, photography, black light use, and practice on a medical training dummy.

Click here to see more photos from the training.

SHARP advocacy services are available to service members and Department of Defense civilians, as well as their dependents 18 years of age who were victims of sexual assault perpetrated by someone other than a spouse or intimate partner.

People can access victim advocates by calling the Stuttgart Sexual Assault Response Coordinator main office at DSN: 431-3656/3327 or civ. 0703115-3656/3327, by calling the Stuttgart sexual assault hotline at DSN: 484-7280/ civ. 0631-413-7280, or via the DoD Safe Helpline at 1-877-995-5247/direct dial: 0611-143-537-7233, or via the web at: https://www.safehelpline.org.

For victims of sexual assault perpetrated by a spouse or intimate partner, contact the Stuttgart Health Clinic/Family Advocacy Program Social Work Services at DSN: 590-1615/1616 or civ. 06371-9464-1615/1616 during duty hours; the Military Police, after duty hours, at DSN: 430-5262/civ. 0711-680-5262; or 24/7 through the Report Domestic Violence at civ. 0176-262-48894.