RAISE Training

Clinical Care for Sexual Assault Survivors:
A Multimedia Training Tool

Sexual violence can be devastating to both individuals and communities. While present in all societies, sexual violence often increases during times of war. The International Rescue Committee (IRC) identified a need to teach health care providers and all other clinic staff how to provide compassionate, confidential, and competent care to survivors of sexual assault.

The UCLA (University of California, Los Angeles) Center for International Medicine (CIM) collaborated with the IRC to create an instructor-led computer-based training tool entitled, "Clinical Care for Sexual Assault Survivors." This tool is being used by the IRC and other agencies worldwide, and features video footage from refugee camps and international communities, compelling medical scenarios played by superb actors, animation, medical graphics, and a variety of other multimedia tools.

The goal of this training tool is to improve the clinical care of sexual assault survivors in low-resource settings by encouraging compassionate, competent, and confidential care in keeping with international standards. It is intended for all levels of clinic workers who interact with sexual assault survivors, with a separate section specifically for non-medical staff.

It is a group training with a facilitator. It in not intended as a self-teaching tool. Multiple teaching methods are used to draw in viewers and reinforce the messages, including case studies, group exercises, discussion, and video re-enactments. Interviews with service providers offer firsthand perspectives on working with sexual assault survivors. It incorporates images and footage from several different environments in Africa and Asia, and is designed for all levels of clinic staff from cleaners to nurses and physicians.

For more information, to download the Facilitator's Guide, or to request a copy of the DVD, please visit http://clinicalcare.rhrc.org. Aussi disponible en français.

RAISE is a joint initiative of the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health and Marie Stopes International | E-mail List | Staff