Female counselor with female patient

Honoring the Life of Betty Ewing

Inova honors the life of Betty Ewing (1936-2022), whose incredible legacy lives on through the Inova Ewing FACT Department. In 2012, Betty and Charles Ewing provided leadership support to establish the Ewing Forensic Assessment and Consultation Team (FACT) for victims of sexual assault and abuse.

Over the past decade, the Ewing family’s generosity enabled us to recruit an exceptional team of forensic nurses and physicians and to expand these life-changing services across Inova.

View the video to learn more about this impactful program.

Do you need help?

Call 703-776-2199 and ask for the FACT nurse

Inova Ewing Forensic Assessment and Consultation Teams address the unique needs of abused children and adults. We offer expert medical evaluation, forensic evidence collection, and provide expert interpretation based on training, experience and medical data.

Download printable FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

If you are not safe call 911 immediately. Individuals can also call RAINN (Rape Abuse and Incest National Network) at 1-800-656-HOPE (800-656-4673) 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

If you want information about evidence collection or to schedule a forensic exam, call 703-776-6666. If no one answers, please call 703-776-2199 and ask the operator to page the FACT nurse or child abuse physician on call.

Victims should avoid taking a shower, changing clothes, using the bathroom, eating, drinking or engaging in consensual sexual activities.

As soon as you can. Evidence and injuries are easier to document early, and some medications work only within a short time. We typically collect evidence for up to five days after an assault – and sometimes longer based on your situation – but earlier is better. 

HIV prevention medicine works best when started right away and recommendations are to start within 72 hours of the assault. Emergency contraception and other preventive treatments also have to be given soon after assault for maximum effectiveness.

If you think you were drugged, urine and/or blood tests should be taken as soon as possible, ideally the first urination after the assault, because some drugs leave the body quickly. You can choose what parts of care you want, including evidence collection, even if you’re not ready to report to the police.

There is no cost for the forensic exam regardless of insurance. It is paid for by the state of Virginia.

Every situation is different, but a typical exam takes 2 to 3 hours to complete. Our specially trained forensic nurse examiners provide sensitive, respectful care to avoid any additional trauma to the victim.

The evidence collection process is available for anyone who has been the victim of a sexual assault. The FACT Department provides sensitive, responsive care to all victims, regardless of age, identified gender, sexual orientation, race or religion.

If you are 100% sure you do not want evidence collected, you can go to your OB-GYN doctor, the local health department or your primary care physician for emergency contraception and STI screenings. Since other resources are available, we focus on those victims who also request evidence collection.

Individuals always have the option of making an anonymous report and having evidence collected and stored for at least two years without notifying law enforcement.

In most cases, exams cannot conclusively tell whether someone had sexual intercourse. This is due to anatomy and other factors. The exam process will not show if DNA is present and the FACT department does not test for DNA. The DNA evidence kit can only be tested by the crime lab if law enforcement is involved. Inova FACT department runs limited urine drug screens for certain categories of drugs. However, the state crime team can test for more precise “date rape” drugs and other substances in a person’s system. Again, this testing is only available if the incident is reported to law enforcement.

Forensic nurse examiners have their bachelor’s degree in nursing, a minimum two years of clinical experience – typically in an emergency department or trauma unit – and specialized sexual assault nurse examiner training.

Our Services

We offer injury assessment and documentation, as well as referrals to legal resources, shelters and support services.

We care for victims of rape and sexual assault with or without police involvement. Services include DNA collection, injury assessment, documentation, preventive medications, and referrals to legal and support services.

All pediatric sexual assault exams for children age 12 and under are performed at the determination of Child Protective Services and/or Law Enforcement. Authorization for adolescent patients is determined by the circumstances of the incident.

In conjunction with Child Protective Services, we offer injury assessment, and documentation by providers trained to recognize physical abuse.

We offer injury assessment and documentation, including the treatment of any health threats that can result from airway or circulatory impairment.

How to Call Us

The FACT Team

Inova FNEs are registered nurses specially trained to observe, recognize, collect, and appropriately document evidence of abuse.

Two forensic physicians are available for consultations in our department. The physicians provide medical oversight for the department, managing the protocols and procedures, and provide expert review of cases seen by the forensic nurse examiners. They provide inpatient and outpatient consultations as well as medical record reviews for cases involving physical abuse and assault, physical or medical neglect, and sexual abuse and assault.

They are available for consultations through the Inova Xtend paging system or the Inova Fairfax Hospital operator.

Inova Child Life Specialists are experts in the field of child development and are trained to meet the unique psychosocial, developmental, emotional, and cultural needs of the children and families they serve. The Inova Ewing Forensic Assessment and Consultation Teams (FACT) Department has a dedicated Child Life Specialist who helps to promote effective patient and family coping as well as provide support to patients and families throughout their entire FACT Department experience.

Child Life Services Offered:

  • Preparation for the forensic exam/evaluation
  • Support and distraction during the forensic exam/evaluation
  • Medical and therapeutic play
  • Pre-procedural tours
  • Hands-on education regarding the hospital/FACT department environment
  • Normalization activities
  • Sibling support

Find additional information regarding the Child Life Program 

What Does a Forensic Exam Involve?

If you are the victim of violence or assault, you need special attention to ensure you are medically safe and protected. In addition, it is important to gather evidence if you choose to report your crime to the police.

A forensic exam is completely private and includes a thorough assessment of any injuries sustained as the result of a violent act. We collect evidence, take photos of your injuries, answer all your questions and discuss your options. Due to the technical nature of the exam, it can take 2 to 3 hours to complete. Our forensic nurse examiners and physicians are specially trained to provide both medical and emotional support. They will ensure that you have access to all the resources you need, including follow-up medical care, referrals for advocacy and mental health services.

Access to FACT Services

Services are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

If you are not safe call 911 immediately!

If you feel you have been the victim of a sexual assault or domestic violence and wish to report to the police please call 911.

If you are unsure if you want to report, please call the Virginia Family Violence and Sexual Assault Hotline at 800-838-8238. Hotline staff is available 24 hours a day.

If you do not want evidence collected but are concerned about exposure to disease, please contact your primary care physician or local health department.