Healing and justice — Agencies work in tandem to support survivors
Fear of facing an offender in court nearly caused one Weston County sexual assault victim to stop participating in a criminal case, but an interagency partnership helped the victim persevere.
“We all work together as a team,” said Stephanie Martinez, victim/witness coordinator at the Weston County Attorney’s Office.
That team, she told the News Letter Journal, consists of her, Brooke Weigel and Michael Stulken from the attorney’s office and North East Wyoming Advocacy Resource Center’s Kayleigh Gould (Newcastle office) and executive director Sandy Stevens (who mostly works from the Sundance office, which is the agency’s primary administrative office). The resource center, which is also known as NEWARC, is a community-based advocacy program. Gould said the funding NEWARC receives from the state is general funds for domestic violence and sexual assault services, and those funding sources are administered through the Wyoming Division of Victim Services. These funds help support services such as crisis intervention, advocacy, emergency shelter, support throughout the criminal justice process, referrals, and other victim services NEWARC provides in Crook and Weston counties.
The attorney’s office said in a statement that in the case of the victim who considered ceasing to participate in the case, the office and NEWARC maintained contact, answered questions, coordinated counseling resources and accompanied the victim to meetings with the prosecutor.
“By helping the victim understand the process and addressing concerns as they arose, the Weston County Attorney’s Office and NEWARC provided stability and support during a very difficult period,” the attorney’s office’s statement said. “Ultimately, the victim felt empowered to remain involved and make informed decisions throughout the case.”
The case reflects a theme that runs throughout Weston County’s response to sexual assault: Survivors make their own decisions, while medical providers, advocates and legal professionals help them understand their options and access support.
Specialized care
When a sexual assault survivor arrives at Weston County Health Services, protecting that person’s privacy is one of the first priorities.
The patient is taken directly to a private room, according to Donalda Bennett, director of nursing at WCHS.
What happens after a sexual assault depends largely on the survivor. Some choose a forensic examination. Some seek advocacy services. Some report the assault to law enforcement, while others do not.
Patients may stop the examination at any time or choose to skip portions of it. (Evidence from even a partial exam can still be used, however, Bennett said.)
The decision to report an assault remains with the survivor.
“It is up to the victim whether or not they want to report the abuser, and that process is not done in the ER,” Bennett said.
She told the News Letter Journal that WCHS has four nurses trained as Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners, or SANE: Michelle Sweet, Melissa Houser, Elizabeth Boylan, and Angela Yuronich.
Any nurse can use the sexual assault kit, but SANE nurses receive specialized education and clinical preparation in the forensic examination of sexual assault victims, and they don’t need a provider (at WCHS, that would be a medical doctor, physician’s assistant or nurse practitioner) to perform the more sensitive parts of the procedure, such as the pelvic exam, like a non-SANE nurse would, though there are always two people with the patient.
“SANE makes a significant difference in the quality of care provided and they offer prompt, compassionate and comprehensive evidence collection to the victim of a sexual assault,” Bennett said. “SANE programs preserve dignity and enhance collection of evidence for effective investigations and prosecutions.”
To become certified, registered nurses complete 64 hours of classroom instruction before beginning clinical training. They also attend a two-day, in-person training focused on SANE examination skills, including evidence collection and a head-to-toe examination for injuries. The additional training helps ensure that evidence is collected appropriately while patients receive appropriate counseling and care, Bennett said.
From the patient’s perspective, Bennett said, staff members are “kind, caring and concerned about their care.”
Bennett said rural hospitals do not always have nurses interested in pursuing SANE training, making local access to the service especially valuable. She noted that another hospital once asked a WCHS nurse for help with a SANE exam.
If the survivor chooses, an advocate from NEWARC can also be present at the exam to provide emotional support.
If evidence is collected, law enforcement is contacted to take custody of it. Bennett said evidence is handled under a careful chain of custody in case the patient later chooses to report the assault. She said follow-up medical, advocacy and mental health care are left to the patient after they leave the hospital.
“I am proud of our nursing staff that took the time to learn an extra skill to assist these specialized patients that are so sensitive and need extra protection and care after a traumatizing event,” Bennett said.
According to Bennett, the prosecutor may ask the nurse to testify in court if the patient chooses to report the assault.
Bennett said she believes WCHS has conducted two SANE exams since June 2025.
Fear and uncertainty
For many survivors, deciding whether to report a sexual assault comes with significant fears and uncertainty.
NEWARC said in a statement that survivors often fear not being believed, being blamed for what happened or becoming a topic of discussion within the community and on social media.
“In a smaller community, survivors often worry about being judged, talked about, or having others make assumptions about what happened,” the statement says. “This fear can be especially strong for survivors who feel they have a reputation in the community that may cause others to judge or discredit them.”
Survivors may also worry about how public discussion of a case could affect their children or other family members.
Those concerns are among the reasons some survivors contact NEWARC before deciding whether to report to law enforcement or what steps they want to take next. Because its services are confidential, voluntary and survivor-driven, survivors can discuss concerns, ask questions and learn about available options before deciding what steps to take.
“Our role is to provide information, support, advocacy, and resources so survivors can make the decisions that are right for them,” the statement says.
Navigating the system
For survivors who choose to engage with the criminal justice system, additional support is available.
According to the Weston County Attorney’s Office, Martinez helps victims and witnesses navigate the criminal justice process by explaining court procedures, providing case updates, assisting with victim impact statements, coordinating communication among agencies and accompanying victims to hearings and trials.
Martinez told the NLJ that from July 1, 2024, the date she took the position, to June 9, 2026, her office has handled 11 cases. More than 75% of cases are prosecuted by trial or plea deals.
The attorney’s office statement said that NEWARC, on the other hand, provides confidential, voluntary and survivor-driven services, including advocacy, safety planning, emergency shelter, protection order assistance and referrals, to survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking and human trafficking.
According to NEWARC, advocates and the victim/witness coordinator often work together to support survivors, explaining court proceedings, answering questions and accompanying them to hearings and trials.
“For many survivors, simply knowing what to expect and having familiar faces there to support them can help reduce some of the anxiety that often comes with participating in court proceedings,” the statement said.
NEWARC’s statement said many survivors struggle with long periods of little visible activity in a case, the possibility of testifying and community discussion of the case. Advocates continue answering questions and helping survivors understand what is happening.
“Sometimes, simply having someone to talk through those frustrations and concerns with can make a significant difference,” the statement said.
NEWARC’s statement said it works closely with the victim/witness coordinator, County Attorney’s Office, law enforcement and other service providers, a team of people who trust and respect each other and who can “wrap around the survivor” to address safety concerns, answer questions, accommodate survivors’ needs, and provide referrals.
“That level of teamwork can make a significant difference for survivors because it allows us to better address concerns, answer questions, connect survivors with services, and help ensure they do not have to navigate the process alone,” NEWARC’s statement said.
The attorney’s office said survivors consistently voice their need to be heard, kept informed and assured that their concerns matter.
“It is completely understandable to have fears or concerns about reporting and participating in the legal process, and no one should feel pressured to make a decision before they are ready,” NEWARC’s statement said.
Victim services grant awarded
The Weston County Attorney’s Office has been awarded $68,494 in state and federal victim services funding for fiscal years 2027 and 2028 through the Wyoming Office of the Attorney General’s Division of Victim Services. The grant includes $40,200 in funding from the Victims of Crime Act, $23,961 in state victim witness funds and $4,333 in state surcharge funds. A required local match of $10,050 accompanies the award.
Victim/Witness Coordinator Stephanie Martinez said the office applies for the grant every two years and recently received notice of the award. The funding supports her salary and benefits and continuing education opportunities for the county’s victim services program.
Grant dollars also help provide emergency assistance to crime victims, including backpacks stocked with hygiene items and clothing. Additional funding is used for community outreach and prevention programs, equipment and office supplies.
Martinez said the program has assisted victims involved in several sexual assault cases in Weston County and noted that prosecutors have had a strong success rate in bringing those cases to conviction.
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