![]() 6) Effective sexual assault investigations require impartial, skilled, empathic, well-trained, and experienced investigators, who carefully document all the details of the crime and properly collect all available evidence. It means making a victim-centred approach a central priority in processing, clearing, and closing sexual assault cases.Īccording to many experts, the attitude conveyed by law enforcement is “the single most important factor in determining the success of the victim interview, and therefore the entire investigation.” (Archambault & Lonsway, 2007, p. Taking a victim-centred approach to how the criminal justice system processes a sexual assault case means treating victim-witnesses with care and respect and recognizing the particular difficulties and needs facing those who have experienced this unique crime and the social stigma surrounding it. Promoting a Victim-Centred Approach to How the Criminal Justice System Processes Sexual Assault Cases Professionals in the criminal justice system must receive specialized trauma-informed training in this area. As such, it is essential that police receive disclosures respectfully and patiently, in a way that empowers the victim. ![]() Victims’ experiences of disclosing sexual assault to police or others is key to the investigation as well as to their recovery. The fear of not being believed creates a profound barrier to disclosure for sexual assault victims. These kinds of harmful beliefs and rape myths create a context of suspicion and doubt, making it particularly difficult for victims to report experiences of sexual assault. Another dominant rape myth is that women and children are prone to “lie” about experiences of sexual assault and sexual abuse. One of the rape myths identified by the Supreme Court of Canada is that some women are “less worthy of belief” (R. This is especially true in a society where rape myths still exist. It is also important for police to recognize that disclosing sexual assault incidents, which victims often experience as humiliating and disempowering, is particularly difficult. It is important for police officers to recognize that disclosure is a process, not a one-time event. (Conroy & Cotter, 2017) Taking a trauma-informed approach to the investigation and prosecution of sexual assault in the criminal justice system might reduce these difficulties. One of the major reasons for the extremely low reporting rate of sexual assault is victims’ lack of confidence in the police and the criminal justice system. This is an unrealistic and unreasonable expectation for multiple reasons: the victim’s sense of shame and stigma, compounded by a victim-blaming society, along with fear of what might happen to the perpetrator if the assailant is someone they know. However, there is a social expectation that “ideal,” “real,” and “credible” victims of sexual assault should report their experiences of sexual assault to the police and follow through the criminal justice system. (Conroy & Cotter, 2017) This finding is consistent with the 2004 GSS, which showed that 88 percent of sexual assaults went unreported to the police. Findings from the 2014 General Social Survey (GSS) reveal that more than eight in ten (83 percent) of sexual assault incidents were not reported to the police. ![]() The overwhelming majority of sexual assaults in Canada are never reported to the police. Victims Have Low Expectations of Police When They Report Sexual Assault This section also outlines promising practices that criminal justice professionals can put into place for trauma-informed investigations and prosecutions of sexual assault cases. This section discusses why a trauma-informed criminal justice system enhances the processing of sexual assault cases. PART IV – Promising Practices: Why We Need a Trauma-Informed Criminal Justice System The Impact of Trauma on Adult Sexual Assault Victims
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |