It’s late. A survivor of sexual assault is trying to decide what to do next. They’re overwhelmed, exhausted, and unsure where to turn. Until now, that decision often meant leaving Logan County, traveling for care, or choosing to go without it altogether.
That has changed. Wings of Hope Family Crisis Services has launched a new Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) program based at its office in Guthrie, giving survivors in Logan County access to specialized, traumainformed medical care closer to home.
When a survivor needs a forensic medical exam, a trained SANE nurse is called in to provide care at the Wings of Hope office. A Wings of Hope advocate meets the survivor there as well, offering support, explaining options, and staying with them through the process.
“Sitting alone after an assault should never be part of the experience,” said Coy McPeek, Director of Community Advocacy at Wings of Hope. “With this program, survivors are met by both a medical professional and an advocate, in a safe, private space, with their dignity and choices respected from the start.”
SANE nurses are registered nurses with advanced training in caring for survivors of sexual violence. They conduct medical exams, document injuries, and collect forensic evidence if the survivor chooses. Survivors do not have to report to law enforcement in order to receive care, and they remain in control of what happens next.
Before the program launched, limited local options often delayed care or made it inaccessible altogether. Those delays can affect both physical health and a survivor’s ability to preserve evidence. By locating the program in Guthrie and placing nurses on call, Wings of Hope has reduced one of the most significant barriers survivors face after an assault.
“This is about access,” McPeek said. “It’s about making sure survivors in Logan County don’t have to leave their community or navigate a complicated system during one of the hardest moments of their lives.”
The SANE program is part of Wings of Hope’s broader work serving survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, and human trafficking across northcentral Oklahoma. Survivors seeking support or providers looking for more information about the SANE program can contact Wings of Hope at 405.372.9922 or visiting www.wingsofhopeok.com.