Preparing Your Program To Meet the Unique Needs of Survivors

As stated earlier, it is impossible to anticipate every situation that might arise due to the unique needs of each patient. Unique needs can arise based on age, cultural identity, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, language, religion, social status, occupation, and many other factors that ultimately define who we are as humans. Programs should be aware that some survivors may have experienced multiple types of victimization or have witnessed violence in their home, at school, or in the community. Using a patient-centered approach, patients should be given the opportunity to determine which factors are important to their care. By using the Duffy Caring Factors⁴⁹  of human respect and mutual problem solving, the medical forensic examination and other aspects of care can be adapted to meet the specific needs of each patient. Many sources for information and advocacy address the unique needs that specific populations may have during a medical forensic examination. A list of patient populations, and some of the specific resources for providing patient-centered and trauma-informed care to them, follows.

Table A: Populations With Unique Needs