For every sexual assault reported, approximately two go unreported.1 Without law enforcement intervention, sexual assault perpetrators often continue to offend with impunity.
About 10–15 percent of sexual assault offenders are serial offenders; however, this statistic probably underestimates the actual prevalence of serial offenders since many sexual assaults are unreported.2
In 2021, the IACP released the Trauma Informed Sexual Assault Investigation Training Curriculum complete with seven adaptable modules and lesson plans to support law enforcement instructors in creating and facilitating trainings focused on trauma-informed investigations of sexual assault.
Effective and comprehensive training is central to ensuring trauma-informed, victim-centered, and offender-
focused investigations. A trauma-informed response to sexual violence is based on recognizing the signs and symptoms of trauma and understanding that trauma manifests in different ways. A trauma-informed response can help agencies promote victim healing and increase engagement with the criminal justice process, ultimately holding offenders accountable and strengthening community safety and trust.
The customizable training curriculum includes tools and resources for instructors to provide training on (1) the impact of trauma on victim behavior and memory and the associated implications for investigations and (2) trauma-
informed interview techniques and offender-focused investigative strategies. The curriculum is well suited to in-service or academy training, and the length of each module can be adapted to address training needs. Each module includes PowerPoint slides, suggested activities, facilitation strategies, and instructor talking points. The modules provide learning objectives reinforced through various methods, including presentations, large and small group activities, and individual work.
Topics covered in the curriculum include
- realities of sexual violence,
- intersection between culture and sexual violence,
- neurobiology of trauma,
- trauma-informed first response,
- trauma-informed victim interview methods and effective report writing,
- offender‐focused investigative strategies, and
- investigating drug- and alcohol-facilitated sexual assault cases.
Instructor and Participant Considerations
The content of the curriculum reflects the complex nature of gender-based violent crimes. Training content includes topics such as the neurobiology of trauma and the impact of culture on victims, officers, and offenders. The IACP encourages instructors to add current national and local statistics and to tailor content to include relevant state and local laws, along with agency and academy policies. To maximize the impact of this curriculum, agencies should employ instructors with the following traits:
- Experience in law enforcement training and a basic understanding of the complexities of sexual assault and frequently co‐occurring crimes, such as domestic violence, stalking, and strangulation
- An understanding of the neurobiology of trauma and how it impacts a victim’s behavior, actions, and memory
- Credibility gained through personal experience investigating these crimes as a law enforcement officer
Agencies are encouraged to invite staff from partnering communities and system-based organizations to cross-train with law enforcement personnel (sworn and nonsworn), promoting mutual growth in knowledge, understanding, communication, and collaboration. While the primary instructors should have a law enforcement background, incorporating the perspectives of victim advocates, sexual assault nurse examiners, prosecutors, or other criminal justice practitioners can deepen the knowledge and understanding of critical roles and responsibilities of partners.d
Notes:
1Rachel E. Morgan and Jennifer L. Truman, Criminal Victimization, 2019, NCJ 255113 (Bureau of Justice Statistics, U.S. Department of Justice, September 2020).
2Rebecca Campbell et al., Serial Sexual Assaults: A Longitudinal Examination of Offending Patterns Using DNA Evidence (Michigan State University, March 2019).
