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A forensic nurse and affiliate professor at George Mason College has found and developed a technique to detect bruising extra simply on darkish pores and skin tones within the hopes of serving to extra victims of home violence and abuse.
Dr. Katherine Scafide labored as an emergency room and trauma nurse, and mentioned she was amazed by the variety of critical accidents she noticed.
That pushed her to pursue a profession in forensic nursing to assist victims of home violence.
“I grew to become fascinated by the precise care that they want in a time during which they had been fairly weak,” Scafide mentioned.
She mentioned accidents like bruises had been tougher to see with the bare eye, particularly when the victims had been folks of coloration.
”With out with the ability to see them, there’s nothing for me to doc,” Scafide mentioned. “If I can’t doc the harm, the people who’ve skilled this violence, sadly, they don’t have the proof to essentially assist the doable prosecution of the assailant.”
“If I can not doc the harm, the people who’ve skilled this violence, sadly, they do not have the proof to essentially assist the doable prosecution of the assailant.”
Dr. Katherine Scafide
Scafide started researching Alternate Mild Sources (ALS) with particular wavelengths within the hopes of discovering an answer to the issue.
“We had been capable of uncover which wavelengths present the perfect means to detect bruises,” Scafide mentioned. “And we found blue and the violet lights work the perfect.”
Scafide led a examine, which discovered that ALS had been five-times higher at detecting bruises on numerous pores and skin tones in comparison with white lights.
She mentioned the expertise is working in Baltimore, the place Mercy Medical Heart has began utilizing it, and it has been launched into courtroom proof in some home violence and assault instances. Scafide is hoping to develop using the expertise each regionally and nationally.
“Forensic nursing models have not essentially adopted this gear for a wide range of causes: because of the lack of medical follow pointers, the price of the gear, the priority that there is not adequate analysis to assist its follow, and we’re seeking to change that,” Scafide mentioned.
Scafide mentioned the forensic nursing unit at Adventist HealthCare Shady Grove Medical Heart in Rockville, Maryland, is anticipating tackle the expertise, however to take action, her staff should work carefully with prosecutors and legislation enforcement.
The Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention’s Nationwide Intimate Companion and Sexual Violence Survey states that almost 1 in 2 girls report experiencing bodily violence, sexual violence or stalking by an intimate accomplice sooner or later of their lives. Barely extra black girls, practically 54%, reported experiencing violence or stalking.
When you or somebody you already know is experiencing home violence, contact the Nationwide Home Violence Hotline by calling 1-800-799-SAFE (7233), visiting www.thehotline.org or texting LOVEIS to 22522.
