These approaches encourage personnel involved in victim response to focus on victims’ needs during engagement with justice system processes. When law enforcement agency personnel respond effectively to victims, it creates a healthy and safe experience for those affected and can improve trust between the community and the police. A victim-centered approach can help law enforcement personnel identify the needs of a victim and provide connections to resources.

These approaches include ensuring victims receive appropriate medical attention, making victims aware of their rights, and participating in training to enhance victim response. Justice system processes can add to the overall trauma experienced by victims, but law enforcement personnel can mitigate this outcome by using trauma-informed approaches such as avoiding the use of statements that minimize trauma, asking open-ended questions, providing comfortable interview environments, and engaging in training on trauma recognition and response practices. There are several challenges to providing adequate victim response, including a lack of adequate funding and personnel, as well as the experience level of personnel. While some agencies have access to specially trained, agency-based victim services personnel, whose sole focus is on victim support, all agency personnel share the responsibility of effective victim response.