Due to the nature of the work of forensic nurses, some of the content in this podcast may be difficult to hear and it may not be appropriate for all ages.

Mary Washington Hospital has the Fredericksburg area's only forensic nursing program. These highly skilled and trained nurses in the Emergency Department collect evidence from victims of violence and give testimony to aid in the prosecution of perpetrators of violence.

We had the opportunity recently to sit down with Eileen Dohmann, Senior Vice President and Chief Nursing Officer; Kim Smart, Grant Manager for the Mary Washington and Stafford Hospital Foundations; and Gail Perkins and Sarah Alley, Forensic Nurses at MWH.

The Forensic Nurse program is funded in part by the Mary Washington Hospital Foundation and Mary Washington Healthcare, as well as community partners and generous donors. Thank you to all who help make this vital resource available to our community.

If you suspect that someone is being held or forced to work or engage in commercial sex against their will, or if you yourself are a victim of human trafficking, please call the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 1.888.373.7888. You can also text HELP to 233733 (BEFREE). Learn more at humantraffickinghotline.org

If you or someone you know is in an unsafe situation due to domestic violence, or if you have been sexually assaulted, call 1.800.656.HOPE (4673) to be connected with a trained staff member from a sexual assault service provider in your area. You can visit rainn.org to learn more or to find a provider near you.

Here in Fredericksburg, Virginia, you can call 540.371.1666 24 hours a day to be connected directly with the Rappahannock Council Against Sexual Assault. You can also visit their website at rcasa.org.

The forensic nurses at Mary Washington Hospital are available 24 hours a day through the Emergency Department. If you would like to help us expand our program to serve more people, click the Donate Now button at the top of this page. When entering your donation information, include a note indicating that your donation is in support of the Forensic Nurse program. You can also call 540.741.1512 to speak with someone directly about donating. If you prefer to write a check, make it payable to MWH Foundation and send it to 2600 Mary Washington Blvd., Fredericksburg, VA 22401. Write Forensic Services in the note section of the check.