Improving the Police Response to Rape Victims: Persistent Challenges and New Directions

Abstract

Survivors of sexual violence are vulnerable to secondary victimization (being subjected to coercion and objectification in ways that replicate the original assault) when seeking help from criminal justice agencies, especially vulnerable are people with disabilities or a criminal history, sex trafficking and partner violence survivors, immigrants and people from minority cultures, and college students. Negative treatment of survivors by criminal justice authorities can result in stressful interviews, poor victim statements, lack of follow-through, dropped or nonexistent charges, exacerbation of trauma, and, ultimately, a reduced number of rape reports. Trauma-informed care and interdisciplinary collaboration are best practice approaches to rape, but some police agencies underestimate their value or lack a comprehensive implementation strategy. Openness to change, willingness to collaborate, provision of specialized training, involvement in research, concern for employee wellness, empathy toward victims, and an egalitarian work culture are important characteristics of trauma-informed police agencies. A top-down approach is crucial to improve police responses to rape reporters. This chapter will present an overview of issues confronting rape reporters, agency and individual factors in trauma-informed policing, effective victim interviewing strategies, and avenues for future practice and research.