Abstract
Purpose: In 2016, the Country entered the Istanbul Convention, an international treaty addressing violence against women. This treaty is monitored and assessed by GREVIO (2022). During the initial assessment, a lack of reporting, education, and access to healthcare services was noted, as well as limited services for child violence and forced marriage. The purpose of this project was to aid in the improvement of education on sexual violence and improve healthcare services for victims of sexual violence across the Country.
Method: Medical-Legal centers were visited in both rural and urban areas across the Country (N = 14). Centers were evaluated based on the WHO’s guidelines for the care of sexual assault patients (2020).
Results: Forensic testing and photography equipment varied by center and location. Not all centers had access to all services for patients. Some centers did not have rape kits available at the time of the visit. Only three out of 14 centers had exam protocols available at the center. However, most (13/14) had both male and female providers available for examination if needed.
Conclusion: The most pressing issue that emerged was the need for a standardized protocol among centers that can be adopted from the WHO guidelines. Patients presenting at different centers across the country also received inconsistent care due to the limited services available at some centers. Improving access to services, such as additional testing modalities, photography, and medication availability, would benefit patient care.
Notes
References:
Council of Europe Portal. (2025). GREVIO carries out its first thematic evaluation visit to Romania. https://www.coe.int/en/web/istanbul-convention/-/grevio-carries-out-its-first-thematic-evaluation-visit-to-romania
GREVIO. (2022). GREVIO: Baseline evaluation report Romania. https://www.ecoi.net/en/file/local/2074503/Final+report+on+Romania.pdf
Miele, C., et al. (2023). International guidelines for the prevention of sexual violence: A systematic review and perspective of WHO, UN Women, UNESCO, and UNICEF’s publications. Child Abuse & Neglect, 146. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0145213423004854
United Nations. (2017). Global indicator framework for the Sustainable Development Goals and targets of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. (Resolution A/RES/71/313). United Nations Statistics Division (UNSD). https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/indicators/Global%20Indicator%20Framework%20after%20refinement_Eng.pdf
WHO. (2020). Clinical management of rape and intimate partner violence survivors: Developing protocols for use in humanitarian settings. https://iris.who.int/server/api/core/bitstreams/13f3761a-5518-4b27-92d6-a5e6c7aa283e/content
Sigma Membership
Iota Delta at-Large, Omicron at-Large
Lead Author Affiliation
Utica University, Utica, New York, USA
Type
Presentation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Other
Research Approach
Other
Keywords:
Global Leadership, Health Equity or Social Determinants of Health, Sustainable Development Goals, Sexual Abuse, Crime Victims, Romania
Recommended Citation
Ceccucci, Janice and Harris, Nancy, "A Path Forward: Improving Care for Victims of Violence Across Romania" (2026). International Nursing Research Congress (INRC). 103.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/inrc/2026/presentations_2026/103
Conference Name
37th International Nursing Research Congress
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Conference Year
2026
Rights Holder
All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record. All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository. All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.
Review Type
Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Date of Issue
2026-07-30
Funder
International Association of Forensic Nurses (IAFN)
A Path Forward: Improving Care for Victims of Violence Across Romania
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Purpose: In 2016, the Country entered the Istanbul Convention, an international treaty addressing violence against women. This treaty is monitored and assessed by GREVIO (2022). During the initial assessment, a lack of reporting, education, and access to healthcare services was noted, as well as limited services for child violence and forced marriage. The purpose of this project was to aid in the improvement of education on sexual violence and improve healthcare services for victims of sexual violence across the Country.
Method: Medical-Legal centers were visited in both rural and urban areas across the Country (N = 14). Centers were evaluated based on the WHO’s guidelines for the care of sexual assault patients (2020).
Results: Forensic testing and photography equipment varied by center and location. Not all centers had access to all services for patients. Some centers did not have rape kits available at the time of the visit. Only three out of 14 centers had exam protocols available at the center. However, most (13/14) had both male and female providers available for examination if needed.
Conclusion: The most pressing issue that emerged was the need for a standardized protocol among centers that can be adopted from the WHO guidelines. Patients presenting at different centers across the country also received inconsistent care due to the limited services available at some centers. Improving access to services, such as additional testing modalities, photography, and medication availability, would benefit patient care.
Description
Completed in 2024, this project aimed to assess the present condition of Medical-Legal Clinics throughout the Country and offer educational support to both patients and staff. This presentation will summarize the findings from this project.