Murfreesboro police have not obtained sexual assault examination evidence in nearly a year from Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford Hospital -- the county's largest hospital and historically its main provider of the specialized forensic exams, according to a statement from police.

Police are instead directing victims seeking rape kit exams to facilities elsewhere in Rutherford County or to Nashville's Sexual Assault Center, the statement said. Other facilities in Rutherford County have limited capacity, and the Nashville center is a 45-minute drive away.

"The last sexual assault kit (rape kits) completed for the Murfreesboro Police Department by Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford Hospital was in November 2023," the statement said.

The police department's statement echoes assertions from Rutherford County District Attorney Jennings Jones and victim advocates that the hospital ceased providing exams, placing the prosecution of perpetrators and the well-being of victims in jeopardy. Advocates were called to accompany 69 victims at the hospital last year, said Ericka Downing, executive director of the Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Center in Murfreesboro. This year, the agency hasn't received a single call from the hospital to accompany a victim, she said.

A hospital spokesperson last month denied the assertions it had ceased providing the exams, noting the hospital has experienced challenges in making the exams available 24/7 but "continues to provide rape kit exams."

(READ MORE: Are sexual assault victims being turned away from Rutherford County's largest hospital?)

In a new statement issued Wednesday, the spokesperson said Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford was "committed to preserving and expanding this critical service and are working closely with community leaders to explore sustainable solutions that ensure survivors have the support and resources they need."

"Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford recognizes the concerns raised regarding access to forensic exams for sexual assault survivors," read the statement from David Leaverton, senior director of external services.

Sexual assault nurse examiner exams, also called SANE exams or rape kits, are evidence-gathering procedures performed by specially trained nurses to obtain DNA and other evidence from victims. If a victim opts to undergo an exam, the evidence can be used by law enforcement to bring perpetrators to justice. The exams also include pregnancy and sexually transmitted disease prevention.

Murfreesboro officers direct or assist victims to the "nearest medical facility equipped to treat the victim's medical needs, which in most instances would be Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford Hospital," the department noted in its statement.

But if a victim decides to undergo a sexual assault exam to preserve evidence of a crime, he or she would then have to head to a different facility, the statement noted.

"If the decision is made to conduct a sexual assault examination, including the collection of a rape kit, the victim would need to be sent to the Rutherford County Domestic Violence Center, the SAFE Clinic in Nashville, TriStar Stone Crest Medical Center or other facility that completes these types of examinations."

(READ MORE: TBI reports continued delays in rape kit testing)

Asking victims who have just survived the trauma of a sexual assault to then go to a second location for a forensic exam may discourage them from seeking the critical evidence-preserving procedure, Jennings, the district attorney, noted last month.

Downing, who leads the county's chief survivor advocacy nonprofit group, said she was aware, in broad terms, of survivors seeking the exams who were turned away this year from Ascension Saint Thomas Rutherford then declined to go to a second location.

"I cannot emphasize the importances of providing forensic exams to survivors of sexual violence," Downing said Wednesday. "It is a part of the puzzle piece to potential prosecution and to resources to address the trauma that they have experienced. We want all survivors to be seen, heard, and believed .... We are looking forward to seeing the restoration of this vital service in the community that we are proud to support."

Downing said she encouraged sexual assault survivors in Rutherford County to reach out to her agency at 615-896-7377.

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