This conference is designed to provide a multidisciplinary interactive and joint educational opportunity regarding promising practices when working with victims of violence. Topics will include working with multidisciplinary teams and learning to consider all the forensic implications on the street, in health care settings, and in the courtroom. Since violence is a health care crisis, this conference will focus on approaching forensic issues in a collaborative, coordinated, compassionate, competent, caring, and victim-centered manner in these five areas:
- Advocacy: The advocacy conference supports community advocates and hospital-based
professionals who work with survivors of violence and abuse to provide safety, empowerment, and
support as they navigate the medical and legal system.
- Medical: The medical conference supports both clinical and pathological aspects of forensic
medicine to offer the most current evidence-based practice and trauma-sensitive approach when
working with those impacted by violence.
- Investigation: The investigation conference supports criminal investigators and forensic scientists
who collect and prepare evidence to be admitted during legal testimonies.
- Multidisciplinary: The multidisciplinary conference supports an organized and community-based
response to addressing crime by raising awareness through sharing the perspectives of survivor
advocates, medical and forensic examiners, law enforcement, prosecutors, and community partners.
- Legal: The legal conference supports those providing legal advocacy to clients seeking justice
through innovations in witness cooperation techniques, charging decisions, collaboration with law
enforcement, and use of medical and expert witnesses.