What Is a SART Exam and Why It Matters

By Cohen Hirsch, LP

If you can't remember your night out and believe you were assaulted, it is imperative that a hospital offer you a SART Exam.

A SART exam, short for Sexual Assault Response Team exam, is a specialized medical and forensic examination performed after a suspected sexual assault. This is often also referred to as a "rape kit." Unlike a standard medical checkup, a SART exam is conducted by trained forensic nurses who know how to preserve evidence, identify injuries, and support survivors in the immediate aftermath of trauma. The exam includes a medical assessment, injury documentation, toxicology testing (when drugging is suspected), and evidence collection that may later support a criminal investigation or civil case. Perhaps most importantly, it can document and identify a chemical substance in a person's blood before the evidence disappears.

A woman should seek a SART exam as soon as possible if she believes she has been sexually assaulted, physically overpowered, or drugged with substances such as GHB, benzodiazepines, or other incapacitating agents. These drugs leave the bloodstream quickly, so early toxicology testing is critical. Even if she is unsure what happened, cannot remember clearly, or feels uncertain about reporting to police, a SART exam protects her options. The exam can be completed without filing a police report, and the collected evidence can be stored while she makes decisions later. Beyond legal value, the exam provides medical care, STI prevention, emergency contraception options, and emotional support from professionals trained specifically for trauma.

In most jurisdictions, hospitals have legal obligations to provide access to a SART exam — or arrange immediate transfer to a facility that can — when a patient reports sexual assault or symptoms consistent with it. These laws exist because survivors often arrive confused, frightened, or still under the influence of substances used to incapacitate them. Without guidance from trained personnel, they may not know what to ask for or what evidence could be lost without timely action. When a hospital fails to inform a patient of these rights or refuses to provide an exam, it can constitute a serious violation of medical duty, patient rights, and in some regions, statutory requirements.

When a hospital fails to offer or provide a SART exam, the consequences for the survivor can be devastating. Physically, injuries may go untreated and missed toxicology windows can erase proof of drug-facilitated assault. Legally, the lack of preserved forensic evidence can severely limit a survivor's ability to pursue charges or seek protective measures. Emotionally, being turned away — or never being told a SART exam exists — can deepen trauma, reinforce feelings of disbelief or minimization, and create long-term mistrust in the healthcare system. Hospitals are often the first point of contact after an assault, and a failure at this stage can alter a survivor's entire path to healing and justice.

The Cohen Hirsch law firm knows the difficulty and courage it takes for a woman to seek help after a suspected assault. So when a hospital fails to provide the required tests to assist women, we get involved. A woman deserves to know what happened to her — when potential evidence is not collected, it can become impossible to find out. We are here to listen and help. There are no upfront fees and we are known for our compassion in handling these situations.

Please don't hesitate to reach out. Contact us today or visit www.cohenhirsch.com.