Trauma-Responsive Investigations and Sexual Assault Victim Interviews

Trauma-Responsive Investigations and Sexual Assault Victim Interviews – Northern Virginia

Description of Training:

The Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services is pleased to announce that registration is now open for Trauma-Responsive Investigations and Sexual Assault Victim Interviews in Fairfax

 A trauma-informed approach to sexual assault investigations uses our understanding of how trauma effects the brain, behavior and memory to reduce secondary trauma to the victim, while maximizing the amount of accurate information gathered during the investigation. Victim behaviors that were once confusing or could have led an investigator to doubt a victim’s account, make sense when they understand trauma.

The interview with the victim-survivor may be the most critical component in an effective sexual assault investigation. It directs the investigator where to collect evidence, identifies witnesses and suspects to interview, and can generate corroborative evidence.  Traditional interview techniques, however, risk impeding successful communication. When interviewing techniques are based on an accurate understanding of trauma, interviewers can ask questions in ways that are more consistent with how traumatic memories are encoded, stored and retrieved and interviewers can listen more perceptively to a victim’s account.

Trauma-Responsive Investigations and Sexual Assault Victim Interviews is an intensive four-day course in which investigators, prosecutors and victim advocates learn the necessary skills to provide a trauma-informed response to adult sexual assault victims, including criminal investigation strategies and victim interviews. This interactive course combines lectures, experiential skill-building exercises, and reading assignments.

Topics will include but are not limited to: 

• Addressing rape culture, myths and biases
• Trauma’s effect on behavior and memory
• Common barriers to effective interviews 
• The importance of open narratives and sensory questions
• Best practices in sexual assault investigations
• Establishing force, threat and intimidation
• Drug/alcohol-facilitated sexual assault
• Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) collaboration       
• Establishing psychological, emotional, and physical safety   
• Cultural considerations/language barriers

​Trainers: Justice 3D

Application Process

Please read these instructions carefully before applying for this course. Completing an application does not guarantee you will be accepted into the course.

Requirements/Priorities for Acceptance:

1) You must work in a job in which you investigate or prosecute adult sexual assault cases or provide advocacy services to adult victims of sexual assault in Virginia. These professionals are law enforcement investigators, Commonwealth Attorneys, system-based (victim/witness) advocates and community-based sexual assault victim advocates.

2) Individuals can apply but priority acceptance will be given to applicants who apply as teams.  At a minimum, a team must include one Commonwealth Attorney, one law enforcement investigator, one community-based victim advocate and one system-based victim advocate. If you have any questions about who should be included on a team, contact Jennifer Kline at jennifer.kline@dcjs.virginia.gov.

3) Priority will be given to applicants who apply to the training location in closest proximity to their work location.

4) You must commit to participating in training activities, completing all homework assignments and attending every session. Anyone who misses a session will not be awarded a certificate of course completion.

5) This course is limited to professionals who work with adult victims of sexual assault. If you primarily work with child victims, please apply to ChildFirst Forensic Interview Training: www.cacva.org.

6) This course is limited to 40 participants. If you are not accepted, you may be placed on a waiting list.

How to Apply:

1) During the open application period (see Application Schedule below), click on the URL link to the corresponding training location/date and complete and submit your application. Note: Active URL links are available during the open application period only.  Active links for later trainings will be made available in future emails sent closer to the open application period. If you wish to attend one of the later trainings, please wait to receive a later announcement to apply.

If you are applying as a team, please select 'Team' in the appropriate section and list the names of other team members who will be applying.  EACH TEAM MEMBER MUST SUBMIT AN APPLICATION during the open application period. It is required that each applicant provide a “team name” (ie, “Team Henrico”) on the application. The team name will help us identify who is on your team. Please make sure to let your other team members know your team name so they use the same team name. All team members must select the same training date. If you do not have a team of four who are able to attend this training, please select “Individual” and complete the application fully.  

2) A selection committee will determine who is accepted to attend by the notification of acceptance date (below). If you are accepted, you will receive an email with a link to register and to pay the registration fee ($125 per person). Please register and pay by the deadline on the application schedule (below). If applying as a team, all team members must register and pay by the deadline.

3) After you have registered and paid your registration fee, please make your travel arrangements. Registrants are responsible for making their own travel and lodging arrangements. Coffee and lunch are included each day of the training at no additional cost.

4) After you have registered and paid your registration fee, you will receive an email with information about directions and parking, lodging options, training agenda, reading assignments and other information.

5) This is a paperless training. DCJS will provide a link to all training materials. If you would like hardcopies of your training materials, please make your own copies to bring to the training.

2021 Application Schedule:

Who Should Apply?

See “Requirements/Priorities for Acceptance” above

Link to Application

Fairfax:   https://surveys.dcjs.virginia.gov/surveys/EAFD947B-E7F0-4884-8410-BBC30…

Requirements for course completion

You must commit to completing all pre-course work, homework assignments and attending every session. Anyone who misses a session or does not complete all course work will not be awarded a certificate of course completion.

Partial In-service Credit

Partial In-service Credit (PIC) will be available for Virginia law enforcement officers who successfully complete the course.

CLEs will be available for Virginia Commonwealth Attorneys who successfully complete the course.

Costs: 

$125 per person (includes coffee in the morning and lunch on all four days)

Lunch:    Yes

Travel, Lodging & Meals:

Lunch will be included Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday.

Participants are responsible for their own transportation and lodging arrangements and expenses. More information will be provided to accepted applicants.

Dates & Locations:  

October 18 – 21, 2021

8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.                                          

Location:

Fairfax County Public Safety HQ   
Training Rooms: 2015/2107
12099 Government Center Parkway
Fairfax, VA 22035

COVID-19 Notices

There will be health safety measures based on CDC guidelines that everyone must agree to in order to participate in this training, which may include wearing masks, distanced seating, and temperature checks. Details about health safety requirements for this training will be emailed to those who are accepted into the course.

Participants will be required to complete a Participant Screening and Waiver prior to attending the training. This will be emailed to registrants before the training and will also be available to complete at check-in on the day of the training.

Every effort will be made to hold this scheduled training, however, due to the uncertainty of the progression of COVID-19, this training may require rescheduling. You will be notified by email if this training is rescheduled. We appreciate your flexibility and understanding.

Cancellation Policy

Please notify us of any changes. If you are unable to attend, you may send another person from your program.  If you need to make any changes to your registration, please contact Jennifer Kline at (804) 225-3456 or Jennifer.Kline@DCJS.Virginia.gov. In order to receive a refund, you must cancel at least 7 days prior to the first day of the training. If you cancel less than 7 days prior to the first day of the training, you will not receive a refund.

For More Information, Contact:

Jennifer Kline
(804) 225-3456
Jennifer.Kline@dcjs.virginia.gov