Investigating Sexual Assault

• NCJ Number: 210089
• Journal: Law and Order Volume: 53 Issue: 5 Dated: May 2005 Pages: 114-121
• Author(s): Kimberly Lonsway; Michael Cassidy
• Date Published: May 2005
• Length: 8 pages
• Publication Format: Article
• Publication Type: Survey; Report (Study/Research)
• Language: English
• Country: United States of America

Annotation

In order to assess police officer compliance with official policy in sexual assault investigations as well as victims' satisfaction with police procedures, 323 female victims of domestic violence and sexual assault were interviewed about their experiences with the Metropolitan Police Department of Washington, DC, (MPDC).

Abstract

The study was conducted over several months in late 2000 and involved semistructured phone interviews with victims within 5 weeks of their reported sexual assault. Of the women interviewed, 20 were victims of sexual assault. Of the 20 sexual assaults, 11 (55 percent) were reportedly perpetrated by a stranger. Although 60 percent of the women in the study had some type of follow-up contact with the police department, the remaining victims had no follow-up contact at all. Only 8 of the 20 sexual assault victims were informed about how to obtain a copy of their report. Police agencies should implement and monitor a policy and practice of appropriate follow-up contact. For some victims, this may simply involve checking on their well-being and updating them on the status of their cases. For others, it may include explaining investigative procedures and criminal justice case processing. Very few of the victims reported that the responding officers provided information on how to stay safe or how to access resources such as rape crisis services, shelters, or crime victim compensation. Only one victim was given any literature on resources and referrals for information on sexual assault. Despite the service gaps, however, 17 of the 20 victims indicated they would call police again in such a situation. On a scale of one to five, the average victim rating for satisfaction with the police response was 2.2. Resources are suggested for agencies seeking to improve their responsiveness to sexual assault victims, particularly victims of acquaintance rape, which tends to be underreported.