Victims of acute sexual assault usually present to the Emergency and Trauma Center of UI Hospitals and Clinics. Children 14 years and older are assessed by the sexual assault response team nurses at UI Hospitals and Clinics. However children 13 years and younger are assessed by the Child Protection Program team.

The team, when an acute sexual assault case presents to ETC at UI Hospitals and Clinics, consists of the Child Protection Program physician, site nurse, the social worker on-call, and the SART nurse on call.

When a victim of suspected sexual assault involving a young child presents to the ETC, the triage nurse triggers the system by paging the social worker on-call, the RVAP, and the head nurse of the unit. The physician on call pages the Child Protection Program MD The team arrives at the hospital as soon as possible to assume the responsibility of the diagnostic assessment of the patient. The acute sexual assault protocol is carried out.

Depending upon the specific circumstances of the event and the reliability of the history obtained from the child, forensic evidence collection is performed. Support services are provided to the child and the family with respect to release of information and discussion of possible legal action, evaluation and prophylactic treatment for potential infectious medical conditions, surgical evaluation and treatment as indicated, and provisions for further counseling and follow-up.

Children who are assessed in the ETC and found to have genital injuries are referred to the Child Assessment Clinic for continued monitoring of the evolution of their injuries.