DIVIS Digital Interactive Victim Intake Simulator

Abstract

The Digital Interactive Victim Intake Simulator (“DIVIS”) is an interactive, agent-based simulated training tool that has been deployed at the U.S. Army’s Sexual Harassment/Assault Response Prevention Program (“SHARP”) Academy since May 2021. The system allows student Sexual Assault Response Coordinators (“SARCs”) and Victim Advocates (“VAs”) to practice critical interpersonal intake skills needed when conducting the initial interview of a survivor of military sexual assault. Currently the system includes two scenarios – one with a male victim and a second with a female victim – with two more scenarios under development. Each victim exhibits one of a possible three different emotional vectors, (e.g., angry, ashamed or defensive). Scenarios can run multiple times, giving trainees the ability to navigate through various potential story paths based on how they engage with the victim during each session. After any given session, the system provides an after-action review (“AAR”) illustrated by an interface that allows a video replay of the trainee’s practice session with a timeline that is flagged to highlight relevant moments within the training scenario, based on verbal and nonverbal data collected by the system during the interaction. In addition, key topics that the trainee should cover in the course of an ideal intake interview are either checked or left unchecked in a “Key Topics” key on the interface.