Executive Guidebook: Practical Approaches for Strengthening Law Enforcement's Response to Sexual Assault
Publication Date: 2018
Abstract: Most sexual assaults never even come to the attention of police. As recently as 2014, the federal Bureau of Justice Statistics found that only one-third of rapes and sexual assaults were being reported to police. Media reports, congressional hearings, research, the change in the FBI definition of rape, rape kit backlogs, high-profile cases of sexual assault on college campuses, and Justice Department consent decrees with police agencies highlighting gender bias have placed a renewed focus on sexual assault and the justice system. These events have also brought attention to the importance of the role of law enforcement in the response to sexual assault, the need for high-quality sexual assault investigations, and the impact that police can have on sexual assault victims' experience with the criminal justice system. This guidebook presents recommendations and promising practices from the field to help law enforcement agencies assess and improve their response to sexual assault victims through better policies, procedures, training, and investigations. It also includes the lessons learned and recommendations from four police departments that participated in a unique assessment and review process led by the Office on Violence Against Women, PERF, Women's Law Project, and a diverse team of subject matter experts.