Discussion List for campus-based and allied personnel working to end gender-based violence on campus.

[Mandy Mount <>]

Good morning friends.  I apologize for any cross-postings, but I hope to 
gather the knowledge of my colleagues in as many areas as possible.

As a campus-based prevention, education and response office dealing with 
issues of sexual assault and intimate partner violence, we have been doing 
some important and exciting collaborations with the campus and surrounding 
city's law enforcement agencies.
These collaborations are primarily intended to provide effective and 
comprehensive victim-sensitive responses from law enforcement when these 
types of crimes occur.  As a part of this initiative, we have developed an 
idea for a video project that would give law enforcement and other local 
crisis agencies the tools to provide a standardized response to victims when 
they come into contact with law enforcement, no matter who the officer (or 
what his/her training) is who receives the report.  This video would utilize 
technology to be made available to victims regardless of the location of the 
initial interview - and we plan for it to include segments from our center 
(discussing common feelings and possible reactions the person might be 
experiencing), a discussion of the purpose and content of the upcoming 
interview, a review of victim's rights and options, and a discussion of the 
medical exam.  Local experts would be featured in the short video.
After viewing the video, the officer would take the report if the survivor 
chose to make one, medical care would be arranged, etc.
This plan expands to include other components of the video that would follow 
when the case was passed to a detective.  The next segments would include 
information about the investigations process and would provide information 
about victim witness assistance, as well as information about the campus 
judicial process.

We plan to consult additionally with our local DA about the content and 
implementation (so that exposure to content does not harm cases in any way), 
but we are excited about the prospect of ensuring a standardized experience 
for all victims (that will also include information provided in written form 
and connections to advocates in the community or on campus).

Before we proceed any further, our group wanted to do a survey of the work 
that others have done in this area, if any.  Has anyone on this list seen 
anything similar implemented in their areas?  If so, please share!  We would 
love to engage in some dialogue about successes, concerns, problems, 
strategies, resources, etc.

Thank you for sharing...feel free to respond to me directly at 
<mailto:>.

Happy holidays to all,
Mandy


________________________________________________

Mandy K. Mount, Ph.D., Director
UCI Campus Assault Resources and Education (CARE)
202 Student Services I, Room 208
Irvine, CA 92697-2210

Phone: (949) 824-7273
Fax: (949) 824-1235
www.care.uci.edu