FAMSACA committee member and all-round good guy Cassie Noble talks us through the following study:

arekh V, McMinn J, Brkic A, Williams D, Boxx C, Bailey L, Reid K. More than meets the eye: Lid and conjunctival injuries in cases of non-sexual assault are frequently accompanied by non-fatal strangulation, Emerg Med Australas. 2024 Dec;36(6):849-855.

Host: Assoc Prof Kathy Kramer
Guest: Cassandra Noble

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In this episode, Tracey Markham discusses the ability to consent to a sexual assault medical forensic examination in adult patients with serious mental illness.

Host: Assoc Prof Kathy Kramer
Guest: Tracey Markham

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Kath Evans discusses an American paper looking at how prosecutors utilise evidence that corroborates the victim's account.

Reference:

M.Alderden, T.Cross, M.Vlajnic and L.Siller. Prosecutors’ Perspectives on Biological Evidence and Injury Evidence in Sexual Assault Cases, Journal of Interpersonal Violence 2021, Vol. 36(7-8) 3880–3902

Host: Assoc Prof Kathy Kramer
Guest: Kathryn Evans

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In this episode, Assoc Prof Kathy Kramer talks about two recent studies that cover the same topic of non-fatal strangulation.

References:

Panagides et al. Enhancing foundational validity of forensic findings in nonlethal medico-legal strangulation examinations, Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine, Volume 109, 2025, 102800

Parekh et al. Informing therapeutic care and legal process in assault cases involving non-fatal strangulation, Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine, Volume 110, 2025, 10282

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This study explores the experiences of recent sexual assault survivors who accessed integrated crisis response services in New South Wales (NSW), Australia. There is limited research on the experiences of victim-survivors, and most available studies rely on third-party accounts from counselors or advocates rather than direct perspectives from survivors themselves. In this research, we directly hear from victim-survivors themselves through feedback questionnaires, providing firsthand insights into their experiences.

Link to article here: https://www1.racgp.org.au/ajgp/2025/march/they-made-a-hard-day-feel-a-little-easier

Host: Assoc Prof Kathy Kramer
Guest: Dr Shalu Singh

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In this episode, we dive into the latest research on doxycycline as a potential game-changer in STI prevention. A new systematic review and meta-analysis has shown promising results for using doxycycline as a prophylactic treatment to reduce the risk of sexually transmitted infections. Join Dr Gemma Halliday and Dr Kathy Kramer as we break down the findings and discuss the implications for this with regard to the sexual assault medical consultation.

Link to article here: Doxycycline prophylaxis for the prevention of sexually transmitted infections: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials - PubMed

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In our final and most important episode, two victim-survivors who both had a medical and forensic examination, hold up a mirror to our profession. 

It's not easy to listen to but we owe it to them to sit with our discomfort and hear their messages.

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In this conversation with experts Elisabeth Awad and Carolyn Cousins, we discuss self-care - how can we protect ourselves from our work?

Guests: Elisabeth Awad and Carolyn Cousins
Host: Kathy Kramer

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Tracey Markham and Kathy Kramer put their acting skills to the test as experienced advocate Hayley Dean demonstrates good, bad, and downright ugly expert witness testimony.

Hosts: Kathy Kramer and Tracey Markham
Guest: Hayley Dean

References:

Horan, Jacqueline & Goodman-Delahunty, Jane. (2020). ‘Expert Evidence to Counteract Jury Misconceptions about Consent in Sexual Assault Cases: Failures and Lessons Learned’. The University of New South Wales law journal. 43. 10.53637/FDBI9255.

www.famsacaustralia.org.au
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In this episode the delightful Hamish Whelan, Sexual Violence Consult Service Lead at ACON, talks us through ways to engage with LGBTQI+ patients – how to earn trust and tailor our care to individual needs.

Host: Kathy Kramer
Guest: Hamish Whelan

Here are some resources Hamish generously provided:

• ACON's Pride Inclusion - Pride Inclusion Programs | ACON’s Pride Inclusion Programs offer a range of services to assist employers, sporting organisations and service providers with all aspects of LGBTQ inclusion.
• ACON's Pride Training - ACON Pride Training - LGBTQ+ Awareness and Inclusion Training
• It Left No Marks - Strangulation: A Serious Form of Violence (itleftnomarks.com.au)
• LGBTIQ Health Australia - LGBTIQ+ Health Australia
• Rainbow Health Australia - Rainbow Health Australia
• Sexual Violence Consult Service - Sexual Violence Consult Service – Say It Out Loud 
• Thorne Harbour Health - Health Services for LGBTIQ+ Communities and PLHIV | Thorne Harbour Health
• TransHub - TransHub

www.famsacaustralia.org.au
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