Rachell A. Ekroos (Nursing) was an invited speaker at the GLMA Nursing Summit this week. She was asked to share her expertise on the topic of sexual violence among LGBTQ+ populations and communities. Her presentation, titled “Responding to Sexual Violence Among LGBTQ+ Identifying Persons," provided context to achieve a shared understanding among audience members regarding the number of LGBTQ+ people affected by sexual violence, barriers to accessing specialized forensic medical services; assumptions about the person, their needs, and their experience of violence; and multidisciplinary interventions. Ekroos highlighted additional considerations for transgender persons seeking health care after experiencing sexual assault. The presentation was well received and provoked many conversations related to the context of services including health care, law enforcement, advocacy, and legal responses.
