A Brandon woman who went to the local hospital after a sexual assault was told to come back another day because no forensic nurse was available to examine her. She ended up driving more than two hours to Winnipeg instead, a case that has drawn sharp criticism from the Manitoba Nurses Union.
The woman arrived at the Brandon Regional Health Centre emergency department about two weeks before June 19, 2026, according to Darlene Jackson, president of the Manitoba Nurses Union. She was told a forensic nurse would not be on hand that day and was asked to return another time for a sexual assault evidence kit.
Jackson said the patient presented to the emergency department and was told to come back a different day when a forensic nurse could complete a sexual assault evidence kit.
Rather than wait, the survivor chose to make the long drive to Winnipeg, where she could get care at Health Sciences Centre or Klinic Community Health. Jackson called the situation “very concerning” and warned that gaps in service mean “victims fall through the cracks” and some perpetrators avoid prosecution.
Brandon has eight nurses trained through the province’s Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner program, but they work on a casual basis under Prairie Mountain Health. Jackson said those nurses may be helping another patient or simply not on shift when a survivor arrives. Since 2023, the SANE program has trained 52 forensic nurses across Manitoba, but staffing has not kept pace with the need for around-the-clock coverage in rural areas.
The provincial government announced in April 2022 that it would expand the program to offer 24/7 service and create satellite sites in Brandon, The Pas, and Thompson. That plan was originally meant to be running by late 2022 or early 2023 but was delayed by hiring challenges.
Demand for sexual assault exams in Brandon remains steady. The Brandon Police Service received 38 calls for service related to sexual assault in the first five months of 2026, compared to 99 calls in all of 2025. The Brandon hospital also does not perform sexual assault evidence kits for youth, meaning minors must travel to Winnipeg.
Jackson emphasized that every delay puts added strain on survivors. “It doesn’t matter where you live as a victim of sexual assault, you should have the ability to be examined where you are,” she said.
