Due to the successful response and engagement received from the Just Science podcast episode titled “Just Trauma-Informed Victim-Centered Interviewing” from the 2021 Research and Considerations for Sexual Assault Cases season, the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) and the Forensic Technology Center of Excellence (FTCoE) are excited to deliver a Virtual Workshop: Understanding Sexual Assault Trauma and Considerations for Conducting a Trauma-Informed Interview to be held on February 16, 2022.
The Virtual Workshop: Understanding Sexual Assault Trauma and Considerations for Conducting a Trauma-Informed Interview will explore approaches for engaging survivors of sexual assault from a trauma-informed, victim-centered perspective thus supporting recommendations #2 and #22 of the NIJ’s National Best Practices for Sexual Assault Kits: A Multidisciplinary Approach. A sexual assault survivor’s experience during the sexual assault forensic examination (SAFE) conducted by a sexual assault nurse examiner (SANE), access to victim advocacy, and interaction with law enforcement can all affect the level of future engagement a survivor has with the criminal justice system.
This virtual workshop will discuss the importance of a multidisciplinary approach to sexual assault response and present an introduction to the neurobiology of trauma and how trauma impacts survivors of sexual assault. Additionally, the presenters will highlight best practices aligned with national recommendations for interacting with sexual assault survivors during a SAFE and maintaining a trauma-informed, victim-centered approach during a law enforcement survivor interview. This no-cost, online event welcomes a broad audience including SANEs, law enforcement investigators, advocates, prosecutors, criminal justice practitioners representing federal, state, and local agencies, as well as subject matter experts from across the United States.