The Solace Center at InterAct of Wake County provides sexual assault victims the care they need and offers a better alternative to going to the hospital for a rape kit.
Some victims may feel uncomfortable going to the emergency room after the trauma of being sexually assaulted. Being poked and prodded is usually the last thing they want. On top of that, many hospital employees have not received trauma-informed training, which can sometimes re-traumatize victims.
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The Solace Center works with local hospitals, including UNC Rex, Duke Raleigh and WakeMed. When victims go to the emergency department, they can ask to be sent to the Solace Center. You can also call the Solace Center to make an appointment, if you do not feel comfortable going to the hospital.
Dot McFadden, director of sexual assault services, said, unlike a noisy emergency department where you may not have much privacy, the Solace Center provides a welcoming, warm environment to help victims feel more comfortable.
"The stress level is hopefully minimized a great deal because the environment itself is supposed to be non-intimidating," said Chennelle Miller, communications manager at InterAct of Wake.
"When you walk into the Solace Center, it's trauma informed, but it's also person informed."
All of the nurses at the Solace Center have received specialized training to provide the best care possible. You will also have a trauma advocate by your side during the whole process.
If you choose to report the assault, the police will come to the Solace Center, and your advocate will remain with you to provide comfort and emotional support.
"The nurses and the advocates are there to provide an immediate sense of care and understanding," Miller said.
Unlike an emergency department where nurses have to care for several patients at a time, there's no rush at the Solace Center. Your comfort is their main priority.
"It's like walking into a home versus a sterilized place like a hospital where things are just, you know, structured and all business and rush, rush, rush," McFadden said.
All of the nurses at the Solace Center are sexual assault nurse examiners (SANE), specially trained forensic nurses that provide a holistic approach and trauma-informed care. Not all emergency departments have these specialized nurses, and McFadden said there's currently a shortage of SANE nurses.
"A lot of folks that are not trained with trauma-informed care can potentially re-traumatize the patient just by asking the wrong questions," McFadden said. "And it's not because they do it on purpose. It's just because there's lack of training and lack of knowledge about how to approach these victims and care for them and ask the right questions."
The Solace Center has a complete exam room with all the supplies and tools for evidence collection – tools that not every hospital has.
If you are a victim of sexual assault and don't know what the first step is, call the Solace Center at 919-828-3067 or 866-291-0854 (toll-free). You can make an appointment and get the help you need.
If you are a victim of sexual assault, contact the RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline at 800-656-4673 or online.rainn.org. Wake County residents can call the InterAct sexual assault hotline at 919-828-3005 or 866-291-0853 (toll-free).