Empowering through experience

Editor’s note: April is National Sexual Assault Awareness Month, an annual campaign to raise public awareness about sexual violence in the U.S., and to educate communities and individuals about its impacts and how to prevent it.

For much of my law enforcement career, I remained oblivious to the role of advocates and failed to capitalize on their support. When I commenced my law enforcement journey in 1998, resources for handling traumatic events were scarce, leaving me to navigate through the intricacies of victim support largely unaided. I discharged my duties to the best of my abilities, delivering heart-wrenching death notifications, forwarding child abuse cases to investigators and attempting to display compassion, despite my Generation X predisposition to avoid delving into emotions.

Upon transitioning to the role of an investigator, I encountered cases previously unseen during my tenure as a uniformed officer. Child abuse cases, which were typically delegated to investigators, now fell under my purview. The dearth of resources in the rural area of New York where I was stationed necessitated that investigators, including me, receive training as forensic interviewers due to budget constraints. This intensive training, while invaluable, underscored the critical need for a centralized hub like a child advocacy center, where all essential resources — counselors, advocates, child protective services, pediatricians, law enforcement and prosecutors — could converge to address cases comprehensively.

However, the innovative and trauma-informed approach afforded to child victims seemed conspicuously absent when dealing with adult victims of sexual assault and abuse. The absence of a protocol akin to that of child advocacy centers meant that interviews with adult victims often transpired in police stations, typically in interrogation rooms, devoid of forensic interviewing principles. Lamentably, my approach to questioning often mirrored that of an interrogation, with little regard for the sensitivity required when handling such cases. This deficiency in training left me ill-equipped to comprehend victimology, recognize the dynamics of abusive relationships or appreciate the profound impact of trauma. When I was outside the child advocacy center, my questions focused more on victim credibility than case facts.

My awakening came with a particularly harrowing case — a violent sexual assault perpetrated within the confines of an intimate relationship. As I delved into the victim’s account, she disclosed unimaginable horrors, including being bound, burned and repeatedly raped by her partner. However, instead of prioritizing her narrative and providing the support she desperately needed, I regrettably succumbed to biases, questioning her credibility and subjecting her to repeated interviews in isolation.

It wasn’t until a seasoned detective intervened, urging me to focus on the evidence and conduct a thorough investigation, that I began to grasp the gravity of my missteps. Despite securing a guilty plea from the perpetrator, my failure to connect the victim with an advocate and my insistence on subjecting her to solitary interrogations weighed heavily on my conscience.

The epiphany spurred by this case propelled me toward a path of redemption and a commitment to effecting meaningful change. Subsequently, an opportunity arose to join the Campus Sexual Assault Victims Unit — a role that would entail investigating sexual assaults targeting New York State college students. Eager to rectify my past failings, I immersed myself in education, availing myself of resources such as webinars from End Violence Against Women International to enhance my understanding of trauma-informed interviewing techniques and the pivotal role of advocates in supporting survivors.

As I embarked on this transformative journey, forging collaborative partnerships with community-based advocates proved instrumental in redefining my approach to victim support. Embracing a trauma-informed interviewing style, bolstered by the presence of advocates during victim interviews, fostered an environment of trust and empowerment. Advocates, witnessing my commitment to treating survivors with dignity and respect, began referring clients to me, heralding a new chapter in my law enforcement career — one marked by collaborative endeavors and meaningful impact.

Though the journey was not without its challenges, with occasional friction arising with new community-based advocates, our collective dedication to serving survivors remained unwavering. Forging alliances between law enforcement and advocates emerged as a cornerstone of effective victim support, reaffirming the imperative of community engagement in law enforcement endeavors.

In my twilight years as a law enforcement officer, I seized every opportunity to impart the lessons gleaned from my journey, advocating for the integration of trauma-informed practices and collaborative partnerships in victim support initiatives. I remain profoundly grateful for the advocates who tirelessly champion the cause of survivors and for the chance to rectify my past oversights, ensuring that every victim receives the support and compassion they deserve.