This course will educate law enforcement personnel to use a trauma-informed approach when receiving a report of sexual assault. This will help victims be more likely to report sexual assault and engage them in the criminal justice system, as well as begin their healing process, improve investigations that lead to the conviction and prosecution of perpetrators, and ultimately make communities a safer place. Students will learn about the prevalence of and barriers to reporting sexual assault, the basic functions of the brain and how trauma may affect the victim’s memory recall and behavior, the benefits of using a trauma-informed approach when conducting and documenting reports of sexual assault, and resources in their community available for sexual assault victims.
