Ensuring a Trauma Informed Interview with a Sexual Assault Victim

This workshop explores 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 discusses 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.

This video is one of three parts of the recorded virtual workshop Understanding Sexual Assault Trauma and Considerations for Conducting a Trauma-Informed Interview, which was hosted by the NIJ Forensic Technology Center of Excellence on February 16, 2022.