CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (KCRG) – The Sexual Assault Forensic Examination Center, also known as the Iowa SAFE Center, is working to increase the number of professionals who know how to help victims of sexual assault.

The center held a training session Sunday for law enforcement and medical professionals in partnership with the Iowa National Guard’s Office of Sexual Assault Prevention and Response.

One of the nurses who attended works in the Emergency Room at Mercy Medical Center.

“I love being that person that will be able to help them in their most vulnerable time and be there for them,” said Brooklynn Ossman.

Ossman said she was already trained as a sexual assault nurse examiner, but wanted to receive further training to ensure she could provide the best care.

“Especially if I were in that position, I would want a nurse who is passionate about making sure they get the proper care, the medical care, and just having someone who’s there for them afterward,” Ossman said.

Another part of the training was a mock interview between a victim of sexual assault and a police officer. Brian Flikeid, a police chief in northwest Iowa, conducted the interviews at Sunday’s training and also serves on the center’s board of directors. He said he wanted to help after seeing a gap in resources.

“Acknowledging that we could provide better services to victims. That’s how I got involved, it’s just that I’ve experienced some of those cases in the past where they didn’t go as well as they should have or we could have done a better job,” Flikeid said.

Sexual assault training is not the only focus of the SAFE Center. He said he hopes to establish locations in Iowa where victims can receive necessary medical care and file police reports in the same place.

“We are looking to have a stand-alone center where we are open 24/7 to provide services to victims. And have satellite centers throughout the state so victims have access 24/7,” said SAFE Center founder Shannon Knudsen.

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