Morgan Griffith bill would assist sexual assault victims

Congressman Morgan Griffith (R-VA) comments after introducing legislation to increase availability of sexual assault forensic exam (SAFE) services.

“Incidents of sexual assault are horrific, but coping with their aftermath can also be painful for victims. My bill would help medical facilities covered under the federal 340B program improve their services for sexual assault victims. It would require these facilities to train personnel to collect forensic evidence and transfer individuals to facilities that are SAFE-ready. The Secretary of Health and Human Services would designate facilities as SAFE-ready if they have a sexual assault forensic examiner available or on call at all times. These measures would improve the care offered to sexual assault victims, as well as the collection and preservation of evidence for potential prosecution of sexual assault perpetrators.”