“Even though I didn’t need clothes, getting clean underwear and being able to clean up before my police interview was so nice.”
– Survivor from St. Michael Medical Center in Bremerton

“Wow my patient felt so good being able to get out of those dirty clothes into sweats that were clean.”
– SANE nurse from St. Michael Medical Center in Bremerton

“My patient wasn’t going to give me her clothes (that probably had the suspects DNA on them) until I showed her that we had sweats, undies, and hygiene products for her.”
-SANE nurse from Bremerton

“Without the assault survivor kits provided to area hospitals by the Assistance League of the Eastside, survivors of sexual assault would not have underwear and other clothing needed to be taken as evidence during the exam. Going through a terribly traumatic experience like a sexual assault is hard enough, let alone going to an ER for an examination, having to repeat the details of the trauma to others during the exam and then having clothing taken away to be kept as evidence. The assault survivor kits are immeasurably helpful to sexual assault survivors in that they can leave after the examination in the ER with appropriate clothing and retain some level of dignity when they leave. Swedish Medical Center is grateful for this service and without it, we would not be able to fully provide to survivors the care and compassion they so greatly deserve.”
-SANE nurse quote from Swedish

“Thank you for giving me clothes and stuff to clean up with, makes me feel better”
-Survivor from St. Michael Medical Center in Bremerton

-Submitted by Liz Merker, Managing Director Violence 2021-22