Murfreesboro hospital criticized for turning away victims to ‘rebuild’ sexual assault program • Tennessee Lookout

Rutherford County’s largest hospital will rebuild and expand its sexual assault screening program just weeks after public criticism over its rejection of victims.

According to Ericka Downing, director of the Division of Domestic Violence and Sexuality, Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford County, once the primary provider of the county’s specialized sexual assault nurse exams (SANE exams) — also known as rape kits — abruptly shut down the assault center earlier this year in Murfreesboro.

Rutherford County District Attorney Jennings Jones also said the hospital refused to conduct forensic exams on the victims, which provide crucial DNA and injury evidence his office relies on to bring the perpetrators to justice.

And Murfreesboro police confirmed that their officers have not been able to obtain sexual assault evidence from the hospital for nearly a year.

The Rutherford district attorney and victim advocates say the county’s largest hospital has stopped conducting rape tests

Still, a hospital spokesman earlier this month flatly denied that the hospital had stopped conducting tests. The spokesperson told the Lookout that the hospital has sometimes struggled to provide 24-hour coverage, but it “continues to provide rape kit assessments.”

The hospital has now released a written plan outlining its commitment to “rebuilding and expanding our SANE program.”

According to the plan, the hospital has referred “most patients” to the Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault Center in Murfreesboro, a small nonprofit that relies on a part-time nurse and can only perform a half-dozen exams a year.

According to Downing, at least 69 victims were able to be examined for sexual assault at the hospital in 2023. Downing’s organization previously received a call from the hospital every time a victim came forward to send an attorney to assist. This year, the agency has not received a single call from the hospital to accompany a victim, she said.

In a two-page briefing memo, Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital said it faces increasing challenges in maintaining around-the-clock care, a situation exacerbated by COVID-19, as well as staff shortages, training needs and the length of time required for each exam

The hospital will now set up a “regional float pool” to provide 24-hour coverage for victims seeking evidence collection. The plan includes recruiting a pool of trained nurses to work at corporate hospitals in Rutherford, Warren and White counties, the memo said.

“I’m confident it’s going in the right direction,” Downing said Tuesday. “I am working very closely with the management of the hospital and will take an active role in supporting the medical staff who will complete these exams. We have a strong desire to ensure that all sexual assault survivors receive the care they deserve and that care is provided locally.”

A spokesman for the hospital did not respond to a request for further information Tuesday.

The hospital previously declined the Lookout’s request to provide information about the number of forensic examinations it has conducted so far this year.

Advocates for sexual assault victims and law enforcement have stressed that they say the hospital has not conducted investigations since January of this year.

Murfreesboro Police: Victims no longer have access to rape tests at Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford

Some victims needing evaluations have turned to the Sexual Assault Center in Nashville, about a 45-minute drive from Murfreesboro. Since January, local police officers have transported eight Rutherford County victims to the facility for evaluations, while two victims made their own way, said Rachel Freeman, CEO.

Asking victims who have just survived the trauma of a sexual assault to then go to a second location for a forensic examination could discourage them from taking advantage of the crucial evidence preservation process, increase the victims’ trauma, and harm them hinder people from receiving justice, Downing said.

ASTR SANE program overview (1)