Forensic nursing practice with asylum seekers in the USA--advocacy and international human rights: a pilot study.

In this study, the author investigated the characteristics of US asylum seekers undergoing evaluation by an advanced practice forensic nurse. Twenty-one petitioners from 14 countries, ranging in age from 17 to 53 years, were examined. All asylum seekers were evaluated, based upon US asylum granting standards for 'persecution' and 'well-founded fear of future persecution' arising from asylum seekers' race, religion, nationality, political opinion or membership in a particular social group. The methods used to persecute asylum seekers included sexual violence, physical violence, threatened physical violence, intimidation and psychological violence. These types of torture were grouped according to world region, gender, age group and the presence of forensic markers or evidence. Study limitations and forensic nursing role opportunities are discussed.