Kate Martin | Carolina Public Press

The program at Fayetteville State will be uniquely based at a historically Black university, helping to address the needs of an under-served population.

Not all hospitals responded to questions, but those who did are saying vaccine exemptions for their workers are relatively rare.

North Carolina once led the nation in the backlog of untested rape kits. Legislation helped change that, with many serial rapists facing prosecution.

Some other states have laws in place or are adopting new legislation to ensure access to SANE nurses. Some community-based solutions in NC also offer promise.

A survey of hospitals across North Carolina found uneven results for staffing sexual assault nurse examiners. Some described rape victims visiting multiple hospitals until finding one with the proper personnel.