The philosophical basis of the program is to provide sexual assault victims with an extension of medical care that will acknowledge the injustice of their victimization and enable them to access systems that will assist them in realizing a change of status. Central to the accomplishment of this goal is the development of a highly structured framework within which all policies and procedures are clearly defined. In order to guarantee continuity and completeness of care a specific treatment protocol was established which clearly outlines the medical examination, and establishes guidelines for the gathering of evidence. The treatment protocol has been reviewed and updated several times in order to maintain an optimum level of care. (Author abstract)