Greenville County EMS becomes first in SC for training to help sex assault survivors

GREENVILLE, S.C. (FOX Carolina) - Greenville County EMS is the first in South Carolina to receive new training to provide “exceptional care” to survivors of sexual assault.

The county announced the Sexual Assault Forensic Excellence (SAFE) Designation on Monday morning, joined by the South Carolina Victims Assistance Network, the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division, the SC Attorney General’s Office and DNA experts.

The SAFE Designation system trains first responders on sexual assault statistics and resources, preserving evidence and collection kits, how to care for victims in a trauma-informed way, how to screen victims for strangulation which is prevalent in combination with sexual assault and how to identify human trafficking.

“Having EMTs, paramedics that are trained to recognize even the subtle signs that sexual assault may have occurred - whether that victim tells us or not - better equips us,” said Austin Freeman, a clinical education specialist for Greenville County EMS. “And knowing kind of what to say to comfort these individuals that have experienced this type of crime.”

Click here for more information about SAFE Designation.