Victim Services Start in the Waiting Room
Date
2018
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Publisher
University of Denver
Abstract
We asked more than 200 women who were sexually assaulted in the last year (the majority of whom had been raped) about their victim service experiences, including how to improve responses. The women with whom we spoke were diverse with respect to age, ethnic/racial background, sexual orientation, and socioeconomic status. In line with research nationally (Littel, 2001), many women told us that they spent time in public waiting rooms to seek health and police services after the sexual assault…. Across this diverse group of women, one thing was clear: Improving victim services begins in the waiting room…. Women made clear that their experiences in hospital or police station waiting rooms set the tone for their interaction with that agency. While the kinds of changes that systems need to make to be responsive to sexual assault survivors are sometimes fundamental or expensive, here we have practical, actionable advice from women on how to better engage them in the aftermath of sexual assault. In particular, their observations point to revisiting waiting procedures to ensure: welcoming, organized, and victim-centered waiting spaces without exposure to offenders; privacy when possible; fast connection to victim advocates or sexual assault specialists who can help them navigate through the appointment. Modest changes to waiting procedures promise to improve victim services, facilitating women’s access to justice and healing. [CVRL Note: Summary of research from the Traumatic Stress Studies (TSS) Group at the University of Denver.] (Author Text)
Description
Blog Post
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Keywords
Survey Results, Research Into Practice, Female, Women, Survivor, Victim Services, Service Provider, Crime Reporting, Advocacy, Accommodations, Healthcare, Sexual Assault Evidence Collection, Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner, Gaps in Service, Violence Against Women, Assault, Sexual Assault, Sexual Violence, Sexual Abuse, Victim Input, Victim Voice, Barriers to Service, Interview Room, Trauma-informed, Victim-centered, Environment, Decor, Soft Interview Rooms, Law Enforcement, Police, Comfort Rooms, Privacy, Family Rooms
Citation
DePrince, Anne; Wright, Naomi. (2018). Victim Services Start in the Waiting Room. University of Denver, 5 pgs.