DOCTORS FOR SEXUAL ABUSE CARE

Doctors for Sexual Abuse Care (DSAC) is a professional organisation of doctors from many disciplines whose prime focus is education and support of medical practitioners to ensure maintenance of internationally recognised standards of best practice in the medical and forensic management of sexual assault. Membership includes doctors with skills and experience from many disciplines: Paediatrics, Gynaecology, Pathology, Psychiatry, Sexual Health Medicine and General Practice. The association has members throughout New Zealand and we encourage all doctors working in, or interested in, sexual assault medicine to participate.

DSAC is an incorporated society, with an Executive elected at an annual general meeting. The Executive is currently based in Auckland but has nationwide representation. The Executive Chairperson is Dr Marie Burke from Christchurch. Dr Jane MacDonald from Wellington is the immediate Past President for 2006 and Dr Carol Shand from Wellington is the immediate Acting Past President for 2007.

DSAC recognises the unique skill of nurses in this speciality and supports the training and maintenance of standards for specialist nurses through shared training, associate membership of DSAC and by a close collegial relationship with the Abuse Nurse Group for Support and Teaching (ANGST).

DSAC has managed to sustain the initial impetus for a successful 18 years with numerous projects being carried out by energetic contributors throughout the country.

HOW ARE WE FUNDED?

DSAC has no permanent funding.

Early funds came from ACC, the Health Department through its Health Workforce Development Fund, ASB, Home and Neighbourhood Trust, Auckland Medlab, Diagnostic Laboratories, Pfizer, Wyeth NZ Ltd, and other pharmaceutical companies.

This support enabled DSAC to establish a secretariat in Auckland and employ a Project Coordinator to assist the voluntary service.

We are grateful to the Geddes Philanthropic Trust for their support since 1994. We are reliant on donations, membership fees and self-funding projects to sustain our activities.

WHAT DO WE DO?

Help those affected by Sexual Abuse:

1. Advocate for the provision of appropriate medical care for those affected by sexual assault/abuse, both adults and children.
2. Liaise with support and counselling groups, Department of Child, Youth and Family Services, ACC, Ministry of Health, Police, DHBs, NZMA and medical schools and offender treatment providers.
3. Provide information pamphlets on aspects of medical care of sexual abuse for adults and children.

Medico-Legal Activities:

1. Set and monitor standards of care for patients.
2. Develop national policies for medical management of sexual abuse.
3. Advise government departments, judicial and legal authorities to improve care for those affected by sexual assault/abuse.
4. Lobby through submissions and public statements on relevant medico-legal issues, e.g. victim compensation, Department of Child, Youth & Family Services, crimes bills, mandatory reporting and core health services.

Education:

1. Organise training in medical management of sexual abuse for doctors working in various fields of medicine.
2. Develop training manuals for these courses, which set standards for medical care for those affected by abuse.
3. Develop teaching syllabuses for undergraduate and post-graduate medical teaching about sexual abuse.
4. Provide through a journal club current relevant articles on a quarterly basis.
5. Produce and distribute "From Recognition to Recovery", a guide for GPs on aspects of management of sexually abused patients.
6. Produce a video on forensic medical examination for teaching purposes.

Networking and Peer Review:

1. Support doctors throughout NZ who work in this field of medicine, through regional coordinators and local roster and peer review coordinators.
2. Develop standards and encourage regular peer review and medical audit for clinicians.
3. Liaise with workers in other disciplines to improve care of those affected by sexual abuse, e.g. Police, Department of Child, Youth & Family Services, counsellors, lawyers.
4. Administer a process of accreditation for doctors performing forensic medical examinations for those affected by sexual assault.

Access Information:

1. Inform members and associates of DSAC about news and important issues through DSAC NEWSLETTER.
2. Maintain in the Auckland office a database and library of journal articles, books and videos available as a national resource for anyone working in this field.
3. Regularly update and distribute a National Liaison Directory of resource people working in sexual abuse management.
4. Write articles on aspects of care for those affected by sexual abuse, for distribution in other journals.