The SART includes California DOJ Bureau of Forensic Services (BFS) crime lab

“Criminalist at the California Department of Justice Bureau of Forensic Services work to examine evidence collected at crime scenes and during forensic medical exams.  Their work can help to identify a suspect, and can also assist in the exoneration or prosecution of someone suspected of a crime.  They do excellent work for the State of California, public safety, and criminal justice.”

– CSLEA President Alan Barcelona

CHICO – On January 22, 2026, Enloe Health announced the release of the Butte-Glenn Sexual Assault Response Team’s 2026 report that details incidence of sexual assault in Butte County from 2022-24.

According to Enloe Health’s news release:

Between January 2022 and December 2024, 245 forensic medical examinations were conducted for individuals ranging from 7 months to 82 years old. These exams, performed primarily at Enloe Health and Oroville Hospital by specially trained forensic nurse examiners, represent a fraction of sexual violence in the region. National research shows that most sexual assaults go unreported, and many survivors never seek medical care.

“The SART nurses do exceptionally difficult work serving both the survivors of sexual assaults and playing a critical role in public safety,” said Butte County District Attorney Mike Ramsey. “Their conscientious care often marks the start of the healing process for sexual assault survivors. Their professionalism is key in collecting evidence, which is often essential to holding offenders accountable for vile conduct. This report provides the public with insight into these extraordinary nurses’ critical function.”

The Butte-Glenn SART is a multidisciplinary collaborative team that comprises private and public agencies, and a countywide program that serves sexual assault and child sexual abuse survivors.

The Butte-Glenn SART includes Enloe Health, Oroville Hospital, law enforcement agencies in Butte and Glenn counties, Catalyst Domestic Violence Services, the California Department of Justice Bureau of Forensic Services (BFS) crime laboratories, and other community partners. The Butte-Glenn SART provides trauma-informed care, expert forensic evidence collection, and advocacy services to help survivors regain control and pursue justice.

The key findings from the report include:

• Survivor demographics: 95% of exams were for female victims; 55% were under age 25. The average age was 27, which is consistent with trends from 2021. In the report, 49% of the victims stated they were students at the time of their assault reflecting an increase from 35% in 2021. Among the student victims, 61% reported being in college with 70% being from California State University, Chico, and 25% from Butte College.
• Only exams conducted at Enloe Health include a question regarding student status, housing and disability.
• Housing and disability: 16% of victims reported unstable housing, and 13% reported having a disability, which is an increase from 7% in 2021.
• Assailant relationship: At least 68% of victims knew their assailant.
• Substance and alcohol use: 50% of patients reported voluntary alcohol use and 40% reported voluntary drug use prior to the assault, while 10% reported involuntary or suspected drug intoxication.
• Assault methods: 21% of patients reported being strangled during a sexual assault.
• Evidence collection: 89% of exams included Rapid DNA Service (RADS) samples, expediting investigations and supporting prosecutions.

“The release of the SART report reflects our community’s continued commitment to improving survivor support and response. Survivors of sexual violence deserve a response that is timely, trauma-informed, and centered on dignity and choice,” said Anastacia L. Snyder, Executive Director of Catalyst. “We are grateful to be part of a coordinated effort that continues to strengthen how we show up for survivors with care, accountability and compassion.”

Jacqueline Winters-Hall, Enloe Health’s Sexual Assault Forensic Examination Coordinator, encourages survivors to seek care at a hospital even if they are unsure an assault occurred. Though it can be a scary and intimidating time in a survivor’s life, Winters-Hall reassures survivors that the forensic nursing team provides compassionate, expert care when it is needed most.

“At Enloe Health, our forensic nurses provide compassionate, trauma-informed care, bridging the gap between specialized medical assessment, forensic science and the criminal justice system,” she said. “Survivors, even if unsure whether an assault occurred, are encouraged to come forward. We are here to help guide and support them as they begin their journey toward healing.”

About the Butte-Glenn SART: Formed in 2009 and expanded in 2024 to include Glenn County, the Butte-Glenn SART is a collaborative network of health care providers, law enforcement, prosecutors, and advocates dedicated to improving outcomes for survivors and strengthening the community’s response to sexual violence.

News Release – https://www.enloe.org/news-media/2026/butte-glenn-sexual-assault-response-team-releases-202224-report-/