Sexual Violence and Social Media Discourse: Exploring Campus Climate Through the Lens of Twitter.

BACKGROUND: Sexual violence is prevalent on college campuses, yet formal disclosure and open dialogue are often muffled. Social media has become a powerful platform for survivors and presents an opportunity for researchers to explore social discourse surrounding sexual violence on campuses. Healthcare providers must be knowledgeable of campus climate surrounding sexual violence to provide patient-centered, trauma-informed care and mitigate the detrimental, long-term effects experienced by survivors. METHODS: Twitter, a social media and networking platform, was used to explore online discourse regarding sexual violence among college students. A conventional qualitative content analysis was implemented using two coders to explore data before identifying themes. RESULTS: The researchers identified 175 tweets that met the inclusion criteria. Three subthemes emerged: (a) lack of support, (b) powerlessness, and (c) victim blaming and shaming, which built the foundation for the overarching theme of rape culture. CONCLUSION: Social media posts provide insight into survivor experiences and offer forensic nurses and healthcare providers the opportunity to discover information that survivors might not otherwise disclose. Forensic nurses should consider implementing innovative approaches to engage campus survivors and increase access to postassault care.

Justice Denied: A Call to Action for Forensic Nurses.

ABSTRACT: Sexual violence is a major public health problem that negatively affects millions of Americans. Persons who have experienced sexual violence may choose to undergo a medical forensic examination and complete a sexual assault kit to collect and preserve evidence. DNA evidence is an impactful tool that has the potential to confirm an assailant's identity, reveal previously unknown offenders, connect serial predators to other crime scenes, exonerate the wrongly convicted, and prevent future acts of sexual violence. However, many of these kits have become "backlogged," meaning that evidence was not submitted by law enforcement for testing or DNA analysis was not completed by the crime laboratory, thereby denying justice and closure for victims. The purpose of this article is to illustrate the backlog of untested sexual assault kits in the United States and describe a case in which a serial offender was apprehended because of the testing of backlogged kits. In addition, this call to action aims to raise awareness regarding kit processing and promote advocacy among forensic nurses.

Lessons Learned: A Case of Intimate Partner Violence During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Intimate partner violence (IPV) has been a major public health threat long before COVID-19. However, the pandemic has removed protective measures from victims, while heightening risk factors associated with IPV. Emergency department providers are often the initial point of contact in the health care system for IPV victims; therefore, knowledge of current screening guidelines and best practices in assessment and management of IPV is essential. The purpose of this case report is to present a missed opportunity involving IPV in an emergency department during the COVID-19 pandemic and to discuss the lessons learned with the aim of educating health care providers on the subtle signs of IPV and current screening guidelines.

A Case of Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children Following SARS-CoV-2 Infection in a Rural Emergency Department.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV2), also known as COVID-19, has rapidly spread across the globe resulting in a worldwide pandemic. This disease has such varying presentation within the population. Although rare, multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) is a potentially fatal complication of SARS-CoV2 infection and can be easily missed in the early stages. Because emergency department (ED) providers are often the initial treating providers, knowledge of the clinical manifestations and treatment of MIS-C is essential. The purpose of this article is to present a case of MIS-C in a rural ED, describe the subtle signs of disease, and educate clinicians on this rare and potentially deadly disease.