More support for survivors of sexual violence as forensic nurse programme rolls out

The Scottish Government has announced the national rollout of specialist nurses capable of carrying out forensic medical examinations on sexual assault victims.

Nurse Sexual Offence Examiners (NSOEs) will also be able to give opinion evidence in court under an expansion which will include islands and rural areas.

Previously, private forensic doctors were used in these communities.

It is hoped the measure will improve support for victims of sexual crimes and support successful prosecutions.

It follows the publication of official figures which revealed that sexual crimes recorded by Police Scotland went up by 10 per cent last year to reach the highest level since 1971.

Public health minister Maree Todd said: “It is crucial for any survivor of rape or another sexual offence to be able to access the support they need, in the way they need it.

“The hours after a sexual assault are some of the most difficult a survivor will face. Expanding this specialist nursing role means more survivors will be cared for by compassionate, highly trained professionals. It also means these specialist nurses will be able to give opinion evidence in court.

“This is a significant milestone for Sexual Assault Response Coordination Services throughout Scotland, and I want to thank everyone involved for their dedication and work to make this possible.”

People using the service will be able to request to be seen by a nurse of their chosen sex.

However, the rollout of the service will be incremental until sufficient nurses complete the required training at Edinburgh’s Queen Margaret University and through ongoing Forensic Skills Labs. All training is funded by the Scottish Government.

The latest figures show the total number of sexual crimes – including rape, attempted rape, sexual assault and indecent communications – rose to 16,430 in 2025-26.

Information from Police Scotland suggested that one quarter of these were historic incidents which were recorded at one year or more after they took place.

At the time, justice secretary Neil Gray said: “We are taking action to strengthen confidence in the justice system and ensure police, prosecutors and the courts have the powers they need to bring perpetrators to justice.”

Commenting on the rollout, Sexual Assault Response Coordination Service (Sarcs) Network patient advocate Kirsty Arnaud said: “Disclosing sexual assault is one of the hardest things a person can do. It takes a considerable amount of courage and strength to attend a Sarcs.

“Every survivor who has taken that step deserves timely, compassionate and trauma-informed care. This includes being able to exercise their right to request the preferred sex of the examiner.

“The quality of care a survivor receives post-assault can determine their future mental and physical wellbeing.”