March 16, 2021 Trauma-Responsive Teams: Keeping Victims Engaged throughout the Sexual Assault Case
March 23, 2021 Investigation Strategies: Corroborating Sexual Assault Investigations
March 30, 2021 Successfully Investigating Alcohol-facilitated Sexual Assault
Description of Training:
The Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services, in partnership with the Virginia Victim Assistance Network, is pleased to announce that registration is now open for Strengthening the Response to Sexual Assault webinar series.
March 16, 2021, 1 – 3 EST
Trauma-Responsive Teams: Keeping Victims Engaged throughout the Sexual Assault Case
There are many reasons why sexual assault victims/survivors may withdraw from the criminal justice system after making a report to law enforcement, including the unintentional mistreatment by the professionals who are supposed to help them. SARTs can improve their response by carefully considering the current and changing needs of the victim, while at the same time investigating the crime and prosecuting the offender.
This webinar will discuss the current landscape of the criminal justice system’s response to sexual assault and will teach trauma-informed strategies that SARTs can implement to keep victims engaged in the process. The focus will be on how victim advocates, law enforcement, and prosecutors can best support the victim/survivor from the report to law enforcement through the prosecution.
March 23, 2021, 1 – 3 EST
Trauma-Responsive Sexual Assault Investigation Strategies: Corroborating Evidence
Sexual assault crimes are among the most challenging to investigate and prosecute. Given the common delays in reporting these crimes, traditional forms of corroboration such as medical and physical evidence may be limited or non-existent in some cases. Sometimes the best and only evidence in these cases is what the victim/survivor and the suspect provide in their own words. Corroboration and evidence take many forms and proper corroboration makes the difference in reaching a successful outcome in court. This webinar will discuss different ways to corroborate the report of sexual assault throughout the investigation and in the courtroom.
March 30, 2021, 1 – 3 EST
Who Needs Force When You Have Alcohol? Investigating Alcohol-facilitated Sexual Assault
Alcohol is the most common weapon used to facilitate sexual assault. Offenders use alcohol because it renders victims vulnerable, affects memory, impairs judgment and physical ability. Some of the same factors that make alcohol such a perfect weapon also present unique challenges for investigators, prosecutors, and other allied professionals in alcohol-facilitated sexual assault cases. This webinar provides victim-centered and offender-focused strategies for investigating alcohol-facilitated sexual assault.
Date & Time
Tuesday, March 16, 2021, 1 – 3 p.m. EST
Tuesday, March 23, 2021, 1 – 3 p.m. EST
Tuesday, March 30, 2021, 1 – 3 p.m. EST
Who should attend?
Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) professionals, including forensic nurses, law enforcement, prosecutors, victim advocates, and other victim services professionals who work with adult victims of sexual assault. Please note that space is limited. Therefore, if you do not work in any of these disciplines, your registration may be cancelled.
Participant Registration and Cost: There is no cost to participate in this webinar. Registrants will receive an email prior to each webinar with information on how to access the webinar.
Please note that the DCJS registration system does not have the capacity to sort eligible from ineligible registrants. Therefore, anyone who registers will receive a confirmation. The DCJS assigned course director will review the roster and can cancel any ineligible registrants. Any registrants not accepted will be notified via the email address provided in the registration system.
Because space is limited, it is important to notify the course director if you are unable to attend. If you need to make any changes to your registration, please email Jennifer Kline at jennifer.kline@dcjs.virginia.gov.Registrants will receive an email prior to each webinar with information on how to access the webinar.
Cancellation Policy: Registrants will receive an email notification if this webinar is cancelled.
Presenters: Nancy Oglesby and Mike Milnor, Justice 3D, and Saly Fayez, Fairfax County Police Dept.