Kristin Daley

When a survivor chooses to report, every interaction, from the first phone call to the investigative process and beyond, shapes how survivors experience the justice system. As practitioners, our response can be their first step toward healing or a crushing experience that retraumatizes a person who deserves justice.

Police play a critical role in the multidisciplinary approach to victim services. A survivor’s first interaction with the criminal justice system has the potential to set them on the path toward healing or do significant, lasting harm.

Police play a critical role in the multidisciplinary approach to victim services. A survivor’s first interaction with the criminal justice system has the potential to set them on the path toward healing or do significant, lasting harm.

When a survivor chooses to report after experiencing sexual violence, their first conversation with law enforcement carries real weight—and it does need to be a conversation, not an interrogation. That first interaction can shape whether a survivor feels safe enough to keep going or decides to withdraw from the process altogether. It can have a lasting impact on their well-being.