SANE Program

What are SANE Nurses?

Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANEs) are registered nurses who have completed specialized education and clinical preparation in medical forensic care for patients who have experienced sexual assault or abuse. Delivered through contracted service providers, on-call SANE nurses provide immediate care within seven days of a sexual assault to people who would like supportive care, including medical attention, information about resources, as well as the option to have forensic evidence collected.

What Does the SANE Program Offer?

The SANE program provides response, 24 hours a day, seven days a week and offers the following options:

Supportive Care
Medical examination, including emergency contraception and medications to help prevent sexually transmitted infections
Forensic examination, including evidence collection
Storage of forensic evidence (up to six months) if the victim/survivor is unable or not ready to proceed with a police investigation immediately but would like to consider the option to do so later
Follow-up instructions
Telephone response line for immediate sexual assault information and support (24 hours a day, 365 days a year)
Information about community resources for help with aftercare

It is up to the victim/survivor to decide what they want to do with forensic evidence. There are two options:

Immediately report the assault to the police.
Have the forensic evidence collected and stored by the SANE Program for up to six months. If the victim/survivor is undecided about filing a report with the police, they can still have a forensic examination to collect evidence.

Who Does the SANE Program Serve?

The SANE Program serves all genders, including trans identifying individuals over the age of 13 who have experienced sexual assault in the past 7 days (168 hours).

24/7 On-Call Nurses

24/7 on-call SANE Nurses can be reached by calling 1-844-858-8036, or you can contact our SANE Program Coordinator, Chelsea Porga at (902) 371-3427 or by email at sane@everywomanscentre.com

Response Sites

Cape Breton Regional Hospital Emergency Department, 24/7

Victoria County Memorial Hospital Urgent Treatment Centre

Hours of operation vary, please call 902-295-2983 for an appointment

https://www.nshealth.ca/urgenttreatmentcentre#site-3768

Glace Bay Hospital Emergency Department

Open Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Hours of operation may vary. See Nova Scotia Health Authority Webpage for hours.

https://www.nshealth.ca/locations-and-facilities/glace-bay-hospital

Available Resources

Avalon Community-Based Sexualized Violence Trauma Therapy Program

They will provide (virtual, phone, in person) up to 20 free sessions for the survivor and up to 3 for their loved ones. Must be living in Nova Scotia and aged 15+.

https://avaloncentre.ca/sexualized-violence-trauma-therapy-program/

Intake Line: (902) 817-3821

Legal Advice for Sexual Assault Survivors Program- “ILA program”

call/text 211 to register for up to 4 hours of free legal advice. Must disclose they were sexually assaulted (but not details). Response times may vary. Not a 24/7 number. They must be 16+ and the sexual assault must have occurred in Nova Scotia to be eligible.

ROSE Clinic

The ROSE Clinic is a surgical abortion and a medical abortion clinic based at the Victoria General Site of the QEII Health Sciences Centre in Halifax.

There is a provincial self referral line for information about accessing medical and surgical abortions at the QEII and other locations across the province. You can work with the referral line to learn more about accessing services closer to home.

Self-Referral Line: 1-(833)-352-0719

The Rose Clinic Self-Referral -Simple Forms service - Government of Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia Provincial Domestic Violence 24 Hour Line

Call or Text 1-(855)-225-0220

Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline

A confidential, multilingual service that connects victims and survivors of human trafficking to law enforcement, emergency shelters, transition housing, long term supports, counselling and a range of other trauma-informed services

Call 1-(833)-900-1010

Cape Breton Transition House

Support for women and children who are emotionally, physically or sexually abused. Variety of program and services available.

24 Hour Line: (902) 539-2945

Toll Free: 1-800-563-2945

Sugar Health Nova Scotia

Sexual, gender, and reproductive health registry & warmline

https://sugarhealth.ca/

SANE Program

What Does the SANE Program Offer?

The SANE program provides response, 24 hours a day, seven days a week and offers the following options:

​

Supportive Care

Medical examination, including emergency contraception and medications to help prevent sexually transmitted infections

Forensic examination, including evidence collection

Storage of forensic evidence (up to six months) if the victim/survivor is unable or not ready to proceed with a police investigation immediately but would like to consider the option to do so later

Follow-up instructions

Telephone response line for immediate sexual assault information and support (24 hours a day, 365 days a year)

Information about community resources for help with aftercare

​

It is up to the victim/survivor to decide what they want to do with forensic evidence. There are two options:

​

Immediately report the assault to the police.

Have the forensic evidence collected and stored by the SANE Program for up to six months. If the victim/survivor is undecided about filing a report with the police, they can still have a forensic examination to collect evidence.

Who Does the SANE Program Serve? The SANE Program serves all genders, including trans identifying individuals over the age of 13 who have experienced sexual assault in the past 7 days (168 hours).

24/7 On-Call Nurses 24/7 on-call SANE Nurses can be reached by calling 1-844-858-8036, or you can contact our SANE Program Coordinator, Chelsea Porga at (902) 371-3427 or by email at sane@everywomanscentre.com

Response Sites Cape Breton Regional Hospital Emergency Department, 24/7

​

Victoria County Memorial Hospital Urgent Treatment Centre

Hours of operation vary, please call 902-295-2983 for an appointment

https://www.nshealth.ca/urgenttreatmentcentre#site-3768

​

Glace Bay Hospital Emergency Department

Open Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. Hours of operation may vary. See Nova Scotia Health Authority Webpage for hours.

https://www.nshealth.ca/locations-and-facilities/glace-bay-hospital​​​​

Available Resources ​

Avalon Community-Based Sexualized Violence Trauma Therapy Program

They will provide (virtual, phone, in person) up to 20 free sessions for the survivor and up to 3 for their loved ones. Must be living in Nova Scotia and aged 15+.

​

https://avaloncentre.ca/sexualized-violence-trauma-therapy-program/

Intake Line: (902) 817-3821

​

Legal Advice for Sexual Assault Survivors Program- “ILA program”

call/text 211 to register for up to 4 hours of free legal advice. Must disclose they were sexually assaulted (but not details). Response times may vary. Not a 24/7 number. They must be 16+ and the sexual assault must have occurred in Nova Scotia to be eligible.

​

ROSE Clinic

The ROSE Clinic is a surgical abortion and a medical abortion clinic based at the Victoria General Site of the QEII Health Sciences Centre in Halifax.

There is a provincial self referral line for information about accessing medical and surgical abortions at the QEII and other locations across the province. You can work with the referral line to learn more about accessing services closer to home.

​

Self-Referral Line: 1-(833)-352-0719

The Rose Clinic Self-Referral -Simple Forms service - Government of Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia Provincial Domestic Violence 24 Hour Line

Call or Text 1-(855)-225-0220

​

Canadian Human Trafficking Hotline

A confidential, multilingual service that connects victims and survivors of human trafficking to law enforcement, emergency shelters, transition housing, long term supports, counselling and a range of other trauma-informed services

​

Call 1-(833)-900-1010

Cape Breton Transition House

Support for women and children who are emotionally, physically or sexually abused. Variety of program and services available.

​

24 Hour Line: (902) 539-2945

​

Toll Free: 1-800-563-2945

Sugar Health Nova Scotia

Sexual, gender, and reproductive health registry & warmline

https://sugarhealth.ca/

Who Does the SANE Program Serve?

The SANE Program serves all genders, including trans identifying individuals over the age of 13 who have experienced sexual assault in the past 7 days (168 hours).

24/7 On-Call Nurses

24/7 on-call SANE Nurses can be reached by calling 1-844-858-8036, or you can contact our SANE Program Coordinator, Chelsea Porga at (902) 371-3427 or by email at sane@everywomanscentre.com

Response Sites

Cape Breton Regional Hospital Emergency Department, 24/7

https://www.nshealth.ca/locations-and-facilities/glace-bay-hospital

Available Resources