Running Head: COMMUNITY RESOURCE: SEX ABUSE TREATMENT

CENTER

Community Resource: The Sex Abuse Treatment Center

Reid Kaneko
Kapiolani Community College

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The Sex Abuse Treatment Center (SATC) is a program under the Kapiolani
Medical Center for Women and Children. According to Brooke Conway, the education
coordinator for SATC, the core of the organization is survivors, prevention, and
awareness (personal communication, September 30, 2014). They accomplish this
through the many services and resources they provide to various areas of the community.
First and foremost, SATC provides support for survivors of sexual abuse. This
includes working with the Department of Human Services and law enforcement to assist
victims in undergoing a forensic examination and receiving medical treatment. Currently,
SATC holds the master contract with the State of Hawaii to provide this service. They
also provide legal services, as well as crisis counseling. It many instances, however,
victims of sexual abuse may not seek out help. According to Brooke Conway (personal
communication, September 30, 2014), many victims of sexual abuse will go on to lead
normal lives, without ever needing or seeking out SATC resources. However, the
services and resources SATC offers, are open to anyone regardless of when the abuse
occurred or when they feel the need to seek out support.
Another service SATC provides is providing sexual abuse awareness to the
community. This includes educating students from grades K-12 through their
Department of Education approved curriculum. Although not mandated, teachers have
the opportunity to undergo training to present age-appropriate curriculum to their own
students regarding sexual abuse. An alternative method is that SATC will send one of
their educators out to the schools to present the curriculum. They also provide similar
presentations catered to various community groups (i.e. youth groups) and health care

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organizations (i.e. hospitals or clinics) regarding such things as sexual victimization and
disclosure.
Its important to be aware, particularly as current and/or future health care
professionals, that sexual abuse victims can be anyone male or female, young or old.
Additionally, SATC states that sexual violence can involve both contact and non-contact
activity and occurs when the victim does not consent to the sexual activity or is unable to
do so (e.g., due to age, disability, incapacitation through the use of drugs or alcohol).
(Sexual violence, n.d.) It can include sexual harassment, exposure, fondling, and
penetration. As nurses, we need to be aware of not only overt indications, but also the
subtle suggestions of sexual abuse as well. If you suspect or observe abuse, it is
important to address it within your professional capacity. In the cases of a minor, we are
mandated by Chapter 350 of the Hawaii Revised Statues to report it to the Department of
Human Services or the Honolulu Police Department. If you are unsure of when to report
something, the SATC provides a 24-hour hotline at 808-524-7273 for advisement.
The SATC is a valuable resource to partner with as a health care professional. In
labor and deliver/post-partum, nurses have the opportunity to view the dynamics of an
entire family system. We observe mom, dad, and baby, but also many other extended
family members, as well. In our assessment of our patient, we need to observe not only
for the physiological elements, but also the psychosocial as well. This includes the
familial interaction and self-reflection of the patient. Knowing that sexual victimization
is associated with severe and enduring behavioral consequences for victims, including
increased drug and alcohol use, domestic violence, depression, suicide and teenage
pregnancy (Seymour et al. 1992, as cited by SATC), we need to incorporate this into our

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patient teaching and discharge summaries. While its not a topic that many new parents
want to hear, its important to promote awareness, particularly when the family dynamics
will undergo significant changes and stresses with the addition of a child.
Sexual abuse is a sensitive topic to discuss with anyone. Since anyone can be a
victim, however, its important to have the awareness and training as a health care
professional to address it. The Sex Abuse Treatment Center is an excellent resource not
only for victims of sexual abuse, but also for those in the capacity to prevent and educate
others. Nurses are in such a role. In the care they provide, they must acknowledge the
whole of their patients. They must look at their history, their present condition, as well as
their future progression.

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References
(N.A.). (N.D.). Impact of Victimization. In Get Info. Retrieved from
http://satchawaii.com/get-info-about-statistics.aspx
(N.A.). (N.D.). Sexual Violence An Overview. In Get Info. Retrieved from
http://satchawaii.com/get-info-about-sexual-violence.aspx.