Terms and Conditions
No part of this Website is intended to constitute a contractual offer capable of acceptance. Your order constitutes a contractual offer and Our acceptance of that offer is deemed to occur upon Our sending a confirmation email to you indicating that your order has been accepted.
1. Definitions and Interpretation
2. Age Restrictions
3. Business Customers
4. Intellectual Property
- 4.1 Subject to the exceptions in Clause 5 of these Terms and Conditions, all Content included on the Website, unless uploaded by Users, including, but not limited to, text, graphics, logos, icons, images, sound clips, video clips, data compilations, page layout, underlying code and software is the property of Canadian Forensic Nurses Association, our affiliates or other relevant third parties. By continuing to use the Website you acknowledge that such material is protected by applicable [COUNTRY] and International intellectual property and other laws.
- 4.2 Subject to Clause 6 you may not reproduce, copy, distribute, store or in any other fashion re-use material from the Website unless otherwise indicated on the Website or unless given Our express written permission to do so.
5. Third Party Intellectual Property
- 5.1 Unless otherwise expressly indicated, all Intellectual Property rights including, but not limited to, Copyright and Trademarks, in product images and descriptions belong to the manufacturers or distributors of such products as may be applicable.
- 5.2 Subject to Clause 6 you may not reproduce, copy, distribute, store or in any other fashion re-use such material unless otherwise indicated on the Website or unless given express written permission to do so by the relevant manufacturer or supplier.
6. Fair Use of Intellectual Property
7. Links to Other Websites
8. Links to this Website
9. Use of Communications Facilities
- 9.1 When using any System on the Website you should do so in accordance with the following rules. Failure to comply with these rules may result in your Account being suspended or closed:
- 9.1.1 You must not use obscene or vulgar language;
- 9.1.2 You must not submit Content that is unlawful or otherwise objectionable. This includes, but is not limited to, Content that is abusive, threatening, harassing, defamatory, ageist, sexist or racist;
- 9.1.3 You must not submit Content that is intended to promote or incite violence;
- 9.1.4 It is advised that submissions are made using the English language as We may be unable to respond to enquiries submitted in any other languages;
- 9.1.5 The means by which you identify yourself must not violate these Terms and Conditions or any applicable laws;
- 9.1.6 You must not impersonate other people, particularly employees and representatives of Canadian Forensic Nurses Association or Our affiliates; and
- 9.1.7 You must not use Our System for unauthorised mass-communication such as "spam" or "junk mail".
- 9.2 You acknowledge that Canadian Forensic Nurses Association reserves the right to monitor any and all communications made to Us or using Our System.
- 9.3 You acknowledge that Canadian Forensic Nurses Association may retain copies of any and all communications made to Us or using Our System.
- 9.4 You acknowledge that any information you send to Us through Our System may be modified by Us in any way and you hereby waive your moral right to be identified as the author of such information. Any restrictions you may wish to place upon Our use of such information must be communicated to Us in advance and We reserve the right to reject such terms and associated information.
10. Accounts
- 10.1 In order to procure Services on this Website and to use certain other parts of the System, you are required to create an Account which will contain certain personal details and Payment Information which may vary based upon your use of the Website as We may not require payment information until you wish to make a purchase. By continuing to use this Websiteyou represent and warrant that:
- 10.1.1 all information you submit is accurate and truthful;
- 10.1.2 you have permission to submit Payment Information where permission may be required; and
- 10.1.3 you will keep this information accurate and up-to-date. Your creation of an Account is further affirmation of your representation and warranty.
- 10.2 It is recommended that you do not share your Account details, particularly your username and password. We accept no liability for any losses or damages incurred as a result of your Account details being shared by you. If you use a shared computer, it is recommended that you do not save your Account details in your internet browser.
- 10.3 If you have reason to believe that your Account details have been obtained by another person without consent, you should contact Us immediately to suspend your Account and cancel any unauthorised orders or payments that may be pending. Please be aware that orders or payments can only be cancelled up until provision of Services has commenced. In the event that an unauthorised provision commences prior to your notifying Us of the unauthorised nature of the order or payment then you shall be charged for the period from the commencement of the provision of services until the date you notified us and may be charged for a billing cycle of one month.
- 10.4 When choosing your username you are required to adhere to the terms set out above in Clause 9. Any failure to do so could result in the suspension and/or deletion of your Account.
11. Termination and Cancellation of Accounts
- 11.1 Either Canadian Forensic Nurses Association or you may terminate your Account. If We terminate your Account, you will be notified by email and an explanation for the termination will be provided. Notwithstanding the foregoing, We reserve the right to terminate without giving reasons.
- 11.2 If We terminate your Account, any current or pending orders or payments on your Account will be cancelled and provision of Services will not commence.
12. Services, Pricing and Availability
- 12.1 Whilst every effort has been made to ensure that all general descriptions of Services available from Canadian Forensic Nurses Association correspond to the actual Services that will be provided to you, We are not responsible for any variations from these descriptions as the exact nature of the Services may vary depending on your individual requirements and circumstances. This does not exclude Our liability for mistakes due to negligence on Our part and refers only to variations of the correct Services, not different Services altogether. Please refer to sub-Clause 13.8 for incorrect Services.
- 12.2 Where appropriate, you may be required to select the required Plan of Services.
- 12.3 We neither represent nor warrant that such Services will be available at all times and cannot necessarily confirm availability until confirming your Order. Availability indications are not provided on the Website.
- 12.4 All pricing information on the Website is correct at the time of going online. We reserve the right to change prices and alter or remove any special offers from time to time and as necessary.
- 12.5 In the event that prices are changed during the period between an order being placed for Services and Us processing that order and taking payment, then the price that was valid at the time of the order shall be used.
13. Orders and Provision of Services
- 13.1 No part of this Website constitutes a contractual offer capable of acceptance. Your order constitutes a contractual offer that We may, at Our sole discretion, accept. Our acceptance is indicated by Us sending to you an order confirmation email. Only once We have sent you an order confirmation email will there be a binding contract between Canadian Forensic Nurses Association and you.
- 13.2 Order confirmations under sub-Clause 13.1 will be sent to you before the Services begin and shall contain the following information:
- 13.2.1 Confirmation of the Services ordered including full details of the main characteristics of those Services;
- 13.2.2 Fully itemised pricing for the Services ordered including, where appropriate, taxes, delivery and other additional charges;
- 13.2.3 Relevant times and dates for the provision of the Services;
- 13.2.4 User credentials and relevant information for accessing those services.
- 13.3 If We, for any reason, do not accept your order, no payment shall be taken under normal circumstances. In any event, any sums paid by you in relation to that order will be refunded within 14 calendar days.
- 13.4 Payment for the Services shall be taken via your chosen payment method, immediately for any setup fee that corresponds to the service plan you purchased and at the same day of each subsequent month (“billing cycle”) for charges accrued during the previous month (“billing cycle”) AND/OR as indicated in the order confirmation you received.
- 13.5 We aim to fulfill your Order within 2-3 working days or if not, within a reasonable period following your Order, unless there are exceptional circumstances. If we cannot fulfill your Order within a reasonable period, we will inform you at the time you place the Order by a note on the relevant web page or by contacting you directly after you place your Order. Time is not of the essence of the Contract, which means we will aim to fulfill your Order within any agreed timescales but this is not an essential term of the Contract and we will not be liable to you if we do not do so. If the Services are to begin within 14 calendar days of Our acceptance of your order, at your express request, you will be required to expressly acknowledge that your statutory cancellation rights, detailed below in Clause 14, will be affected.
- 13.6 Canadian Forensic Nurses Association shall use all Our reasonable endeavours to provide the Services with reasonable skill and care, commensurate with best trade practice.
- 13.7 In the event that Services are provided that are not in conformity with your order and thus incorrect, you should contact Us immediately to inform Us of the mistake. We will ensure that any necessary corrections are made within five (5) working days.
- Additional terms and conditions may apply to the provision of certain Services. You will be asked to read and confirm your acceptance of any such terms and conditions when completing your Order.
- 13.8 Canadian Forensic Nurses Association provides technical support via our online support forum and/or phone. Canadian Forensic Nurses Association makes every effort possible to respond in a timely manner but we do not guarantee a particular response time.
14. Cancellation of Orders and Services
- 14.1 If you are a consumer based within the European Union, you have a statutory right to a “cooling off” period. This period begins once your order is confirmed and the contract between Canadian Forensic Nurses Association and you is formed and ends at the end of 14 calendar days after that date. If you change your mind about the Services within this period and wish to cancel your order, please inform Us immediately using the following email: . Your right to cancel during the cooling off period is subject to the provisions of sub-Clause 14.2.
- 14.2 As specified in sub-Clause 13.6, if the Services are to begin within the cooling off period you are required to make an express request to that effect. By requesting that the Services begin within the 14 calendar day cooling off period you acknowledge and agree to the following:
- 14.2.1 If the Services are fully performed within the 14 calendar day cooling off period, you will lose your right to cancel after the Services are complete.
- 14.2.2 If you cancel the Services after provision has begun but is not yet complete you will still be required to pay for the Services supplied up until the point at which you inform Us that you wish to cancel. The amount due shall be calculated in proportion to the full price of the Services and the actual Services already provided. Any sums that have already been paid for the Services shall be refunded subject to deductions calculated in accordance with the foregoing. Refunds, where applicable, will be issued within 5 working days and in any event no later than 14 calendar days after you inform Us that you wish to cancel.
- 14.3 Cancellation of Services after the 14 calendar day cooling off period has elapsed shall be subject to the specific terms governing those Services and may be subject to a minimum contract duration.
15. Privacy
16. How We Use Your Personal Information (Data Protection)
- 16.1 All personal information that We may collect (including, but not limited to, your name and address) will be collected, used and held in accordance with the provisions of the Data Protection Act 1998 and your rights under that Act.
- 16.2 We may use your personal information to:
- 16.2.1 Provide Our Services to you;
- 16.2.2 Process your payment for the Services; and
- 16.2.3 Inform you of new products and services available from Us. You may request that We stop sending you this information at any time.
- 16.3 In certain circumstances (if, for example, you wish to purchase Services on credit), and with your consent, We may pass your personal information on to credit reference agencies. These agencies are also bound by the Data Protection Act 1998 and should use and hold your personal information accordingly.
- 16.4 We will not pass on your personal information to any other third parties without first obtaining your express permission.
17. Disclaimers
- 17.1 We make no warranty or representation that the Website will meet your requirements, that it will be of satisfactory quality, that it will be fit for a particular purpose, that it will not infringe the rights of third parties, that it will be compatible with all systems, that it will be secure and that all information provided will be accurate. We make no guarantee of any specific results from the use of our Service or Services.
- 17.2 No part of this Website is intended to constitute advice and the Content of this Website should not be relied upon when making any decisions or taking any action of any kind.
- 17.3 No part of this Website is intended to constitute a contractual offer capable of acceptance.
- 17.4 Whilst We use reasonable endeavours to ensure that the Website is secure and free of errors, viruses and other malware, you are strongly advised to take responsibility for your own internet security, that of your personal details and your computers.
18. Changes to the Facilities and these Terms and Conditions
19. Availability of the Website
- 19.1 The Website is provided “as is” and on an “as available” basis. Canadian Forensic Nurses Association uses industry best practices to provide a high uptime, including a fault-tolerant architecture hosted in cloud servers. We give no warranty that the Website or Facilities will be free of defects and / or faults and we do not provide any kind of refund for outages. We provide no warranties (express or implied) of fitness for a particular purpose, accuracy of information, compatibility and satisfactory quality.
- 19.2 We accept no liability for any disruption or non-availability of the Website resulting from external causes including, but not limited to, ISP equipment failure, host equipment failure, communications network failure, power failure, natural events, acts of war or legal restrictions and censorship.
20. Limitation of Liability
- 20.1 To the maximum extent permitted by law, We accept no liability for any direct or indirect loss or damage, foreseeable or otherwise, including any indirect, consequential, special or exemplary damages arising from the use of the Website or any information contained therein. You should be aware that you use the Website and its Content at your own risk.
- 20.2 Nothing in these Terms and Conditions excludes or restricts .
- 20.3 Nothing in these Terms and Conditions excludes or restricts Canadian Forensic Nurses Association's liability for any direct or indirect loss or damage arising out of the incorrect provision of Services or out of reliance on incorrect information included on the Website.
- 20.4 In the event that any of these terms are found to be unlawful, invalid or otherwise unenforceable, that term is to be deemed severed from these Terms and Conditions and shall not affect the validity and enforceability of the remaining Terms and Conditions. This term shall apply only within jurisdictions where a particular term is illegal.
21. No Waiver
22. Previous Terms and Conditions
23. Third Party Rights
24. Communications
- 24.1 All notices / communications shall be given to Us either by post to Our Premises (see address above) or by email to webmaster@canadianforensicnurse.org. Such notice will be deemed received 3 days after posting if sent by first class post, the day of sending if the email is received in full on a business day and on the next business day if the email is sent on a weekend or public holiday.
- 24.2 We may from time to time, if you opt to receive it, send you information about Our products and/or services. If you do not wish to receive such information, please click on the ‘Unsubscribe’ link in any email which you receive from Us.
25. Law and Jurisdiction
Who we are
Connect with us
Ann Marie Provencher
Sarah Sherman
Sarah Sherman is a survivor, advocate, educator, and CEO of We’re Here For You Canada, a charity providing immediate, free support to victims of violence. As a speaker, she courageously shares her journey, offering not just hope but actionable insights into building safer communities and fostering healthy relationships. With decades of experience in social services and working with foster children, as well as life experience, Sarah’s trauma-informed approach inspires change and empowers audiences of all ages. She challenges us to rewrite the narrative, break the cycle of shame, and create a world where safety is expected, not where we have to teach girls how to be safe. Let’s work together to help our children and grandchildren find peace.
Janice Du Mont
Dr. Janice Du Mont is a Senior Scientist at the Research and Innovation Institute of Women’s College Hospital and Professor in Public Health at the University of Toronto, where she is also Director of the Collaborative Specialization in Women’s Health. Her current research focuses on improving care--particularly within the forensic nursing context--provided to diverse survivors of sex trafficking, sexual assault, and intimate partner violence. She is the recipient of the International Association of Forensic Nurses' Vision Award and Distinguished Fellow Award.
Dr. Paul Clements
Paul Thomas Clements is a board-certified Advanced Practice Forensic Nurse (FNCB/AFN-C), a Certified Gang Specialist, Certified in Danger Assessment, and Certified with Nurses United in Disaster Response. Practicing in the forensic psychiatric nursing arena for over 30 years, Clements has provided consultation for hospital systems, EMTs, Child Protective Agency personnel, trauma/emergency nurses, psychiatric providers, academic and corporate settings – each regarding vulnerability risk assessment, target-hardening, and decreasing the number of violent incidents in the workplace, as well as bullying and the subsequent sequelae. Clements has numerous peer reviewed textbooks including two recent publications: Mental Health Issues of Child Maltreatment: Contemporary Strategies 2-volume set (2024), and most recently, The Expanding Continuum of Gender-Based Violence: Trauma-Informed Care 2-Volume set (2025). Violence Against Women: Intersectional Case Studies is scheduled for publication in early-2026. Additionally, he has over 100 peer-review publications, and a significant number of conference presentations – nationally and internationally – that address assessment and intervention related to the neurobiology of trauma, interpersonal violence, aggression, and offender behavior, coping after a violent death, safety assessment, and exposure to interpersonal violence and crime. Clements holds a Master’s degree in Child and Family Psychiatric/Mental Health Nursing and a Doctor of Philosophy in Forensic Psychiatric Nursing, both from the University of Pennsylvania, with research and practice that have surrounded the traumatic presentations and behaviors of children exposed to the homicide of a family member. Clements was recently inducted as a Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing (FAAN), and is also a Fellow in the National League for Nursing Master Educators. Clements works as a Clinical Professor at the Center of Excellence in Forensic Nursing at Texas A & M University.
Bruce Pitt-Payne
Bruce Pitt-Payne is a British Columbia–based investigative interviewing specialist (adults and children) with more than 26 years of experience in the RCMP, where he served as a major crime investigator, interview specialist and advisor, and the Program Manager for Investigative Interviewing Training in BC. In the latter role, he led the modernization of police interviewing practices, advancing research-informed, non- accusatory methods rooted in the PEACE framework and
trauma-informed practice.
Following his RCMP career, Bruce established a full-time consulting and training practice focused on elevating investigative interviewing standards across police, regulatory, and workplace investigations. He is the founder of QTiPP (Qualified Trauma-informed PEACE Practitioner) a designation emphasizing ethical, evidence-based approaches to eliciting accurate information while minimizing harm.
Bruce develops and teaches interviewing tactics and techniques used by practitioners across Canada and abroad such as credibility assessment, and ethical persuasion.
He is also the creator of The PracTeachioner, a learning brand dedicated to bridging the gap between scientific knowledge and practical field application. His training programs, ranging from entry-level investigator courses to advanced interviewing workshops and courses, emphasize clarity, structure, ethics, and real-world applicability. Bruce is widely recognized for his commitment to replacing outdated confrontational techniques with approaches grounded in psychology, communication science, and trauma-informed principles. His work continues to influence investigative practice, professional standards, and interviewer education across multiple disciplines in Canada and internationally.
Sheila Early
Sheila is an internationally recognized forensic nursing practitioner, educator, consultant and author since 1992.
Highlights
- 1992. Co-developed the first Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner Program in British Columbia, second in Canada at Surrey Memorial Hospital.
- 1994 performed the first medical-forensic examination by a certified nurse examiner in British Columbia
- 1994-2007 roles included sexual assault nurse examiner, emergency and SANE program clinician/educator
- 2003-2018 created and taught the first post-secondary SANE course and first Forensic Health Sciences two -year certificate at British Columbia Institute of Technology classroom delivered. Nurse Examiner courses delivered in person across Canada.
- 2006-2018 Coordinator/Instructor Forensic Health Sciences Program BCIT
- 2006 Co-founded Forensic Nurses Society, now Canadian Forensic Nurses Association.
- 2014 President International Association of Forensic Nurses. First Canadian forensic nurse elected as president.
- 2015(Geneva) and 2017(Ottawa) represented forensic nursing at WHO VIP assemblies
- 2016 author Chapter 16 Forensic Nursing in Canadian text “The Lawyer’s Guide to the Forensic Sciences”
- 2025 (December 31.25) appointed as Member of the Order of Canada by the Governor General of Canada
Stacey Parsons
Stacey is based in St. John’s, Newfoundland and Labrador. She is a registered nurse with 16 years experience in emergency nursing, 15 of those as a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE).
In 2017 Stacey achieved SANE-A certification through the International Association of Forensic Nurses. In 2020 she began as the Coordinator of the St. John’s SANE Program, where she participated in the development and implementation of the Anonymous Sexual Assault Evidence Preservation Program (ASAEPP). With a keen interest and passion for forensic nursing, she completed her Master of Science in Nursing with a specialty in Forensic Nursing in 2024. This same year she also moved into the role of Provincial SANE Coordinator, leading SANE service expansion provincially in Newfoundland and Labrador.
She is a strong advocate for education and awareness on the impacts of violence, trauma informed health care responses and the advancement of forensic nursing. She is thrilled to be presenting at this year’s Symposium.
Dr. Lara Flynn Hudspith
Dr. Lara Flynn Hudspith is a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of British Columbia, based in Capacity: The Centre for Research in Community Engagement & Gender Equity in the School of Nursing. Lara's research interests centre around the health and justice needs of victim-survivors of sexual violence. Her current research, conducted under the mentorship of Dr. Vicky Bungay, and funded by Michael Smith Health Research BC, explores victim-survivors' and nurses' experiences of the Medical Forensic Examination (MFE).
