Our mission is to mobilize the community to respond to and end domestic, sexual, and community violence in the Black community. We actualize this mission through research, public awareness, and community engagement, and resource development.

In 2011, San Diego County created the multi-agency San Diego County Regional Human Trafficking and Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children Advisory Council with the objective to reduce human trafficking and commercial sexual exploitation of children in San Diego County and the Mexico border region through prevention, prosecution, protection and partnerships. As co-chairs of the Research and Data Sub-Committee of this advisory council, Drs. Carpenter and Gates were asked to pursue a research agenda that would help develop robust measures of the scope of human trafficking in San Diego County. Of particular interest to the County Advisory Council was empirical evidence of the suspected relationship between gangs and human trafficking.

This document provides an overview of the process for crime victims to file a complaint regarding a violation of their rights in Colorado.

The Prosecutor’s Reference: Medical Forensic Examination and the Role of SANEs in Cases Involving Adult Victims

Prosecutors working sexual violence cases are no strangers to the unique challenges such cases present. Most prosecutors specializing in cases of sexual violence have developed not only the skills to meet the many evidentiary challenges, but the necessary empathy to work with vulnerable victims. However, one category of sexual violence crime requires additional skill beyond the usual high level of expertise—those where the victim has an intellectual disability.

There are many barriers to victim’s participation in the prosecution of their abusers. When prosecuting a domestic violence case with a non-participating victim (one who either is not in court, or who is in court but is “unavailable” by reason of refusal to testify, exercise of a privilege, illness, or incompetency) the prosecutor must anticipate a challenge under Crawford v. Washington to the introduction of the victim’s out-of-court statements. Crawford and its progeny are landmark cases that address the admissibility of out-of-court statements based upon an accused’s Sixth Amendment right to confrontation. Crawford analysis applies with equal force to the State’s introduction of out-of-court statements by non-victim witnesses, and it therefore has implications for the admissibility of forensic evidence, generally requiring the in-court testimony of the analyst who actually performed any examinations or testing procedures.

This paper describes research findings on the effects of childhood and adulthood sexual victimization on women’s mental health.

This document details the responsibilities of Law Enforcement Agencies in terms of crime victims’ rights in Colorado.

This document details the responsibilities of the Courts in terms of crime victims’ rights in Colorado.

This document details the responsibilities of the Corrections Department in terms of crime victims’ rights in Colorado.

This document details the responsibilities of the State Hospital in terms of crime victims’ rights in Colorado.

This document details the responsibilities of District Attorneys’ Offices in terms of crime victims’ rights in Colorado.

This document details the responsibilities of the Division of Youth Services in terms of crime victims’ rights in Colorado.

This document provides an overview of the roles and responsibilities of the Probation Department in terms of crime victim rights in Colorado.

This booklet provides an overview of the rights of crime victims in New York, including specific rights for victims of sexual assault and domestic violence, and concludes with information about local, state, and national victim services.

Untested sexual assault evidence has been discovered in police evidence rooms all across the country. In this report, the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) offers an overview of the issue, examining a variety of ramifications for the police and crime laboratories, for the courts, and for victims.

Over the past 25 years, the forensic sciences have made dramatic scientific breakthroughs (DNA typing, physical evidence databases, and new scientific instrumentation) but studies are needed to assess the contribution of such advancements on the role and impact of scientific evidence in criminal case processing. Targeted studies have evaluated the value of DNA evidence in property crime investigations, but no studies have reviewed the full array of scientific evidence present at crime scenes – until this one.

The last statewide assessment of Sexual Assault Forensic Examiner (SAFE) programs undertaken by the Maryland Coalition Against Sexual Assault (MCASA) was completed in November 2002. Almost 10 years later, we wanted to better understand the number of sexual assault patients seen in SAFE programs, the specific responsibilities held by SAFE coordinators, program protocols, and any obstacles or challenges faced by SAFE programs as they strive to provide care for sexual assault patients and assist the criminal justice process through thorough documentation and testimony.

This report builds on the longstanding series published by the Institute for Women’s Policy Research (IWPR) on The Status of Women in the States, which since 1996 has provided data on women nationally and for all 50 states and the District of Columbia. The Status of Black Women in the United States seeks to address the gap in research on Black women’s well-being and to provide data that can inform policy and programmatic changes to benefit Black women and their families.

The Ugly Truth campaign is shining a light on the facts about human trafficking and working to change the community’s attitudes and response to it.

The purpose of this paper is to summarize existing knowledge on the use of expert witnesses in cases involving sexual assault. The focus is primarily on expert testimony that is provided for the prosecution in a criminal case discussing the general dynamics of sexual assault and common reactions of victims. This paper was written both on the basis of a literature review of published material and contributions provided by numerous experts in the field (please see the Appendix for a list of contributing experts). Ultimately, it is expected that expert witnesses will be used increasingly in cases involving sexual assault and we must proceed carefully to insure that they serve in responsible ways that truly assist both individual victims as well as the criminal and civil court systems.

This guide examines the use of polygraph tests and other truth-telling devices (sometimes called “lie-detector tests”) in sexual assault investigations. It is meant to support the Violence Against Women Act and Department of Justice Reauthorization Act of 2005 (VAWA 2005) provision that truth-telling devices must not be used with sexual assault victims as a condition of charging or prosecution of an offense. This guide examines special issues relevant to using truth-telling devices with sexual assault victims. Legislative and judicial actions that have been taken as a result of this debate will also be discussed. Victim advocates, law enforcement officers, and policy makers may use this guide to develop policies, practices, and procedures and to improve collaborations regarding the use of truth-telling devices as the VAWA 2005 provision is adopted across the United States.

The Vicarious Trauma Toolkit (VTT) was developed on the premise that exposure to the traumatic experiences of other people – known as vicarious trauma – is an inevitable occupational challenge for the fields of victim services, emergency medical services, fire services, law enforcement, and other allied professionals. However, organizations can mitigate the potentially negative effects of trauma exposure by becoming vicarious trauma-informed. The VTT includes tools and resources tailored specifically to these fields that provide the knowledge and skills necessary for organizations to address the vicarious trauma needs of their staff.

Provides training, technical assistance, web-based education programs, a directory of national trainers and experts, and a clearinghouse of all research related to domestic violence and sexual assault strangulation crimes.

Many professionals are familiar with ACEs – Adverse Childhood Experiences – and how they influence the health and wellness of both youth and adults. This webinar explores and compares ACEs data in the general population with rates that many trans/nonbinary people experience. Additional information will examine trans-specific ACEs that layer on extra challenges in childhood that have long-lasting impact throughout the lifespan. Concrete suggestions are given for how each of us can intervene and change the trajectory of health disparities for trans youth and adults.

This webinar examines statistics related to violence experienced by trans people, and reviews specific events that shape and impact trans communities and trans survivors. A discussion of trans-specific intimate partner violence (IPV) tactics is briefly reviewed, followed by a discussion of barriers to accessing care for trans IPV survivors. This brief resource ends with practical strategies to better support trans survivors, and a list of resources to get more information.

This animation is for any professional working with a service user when gender-based violence is a feature in the case. It is designed to help service users who have experienced gender-based violence, and to help more professionals to understand the effects of abuse.

This fact sheet outlines how trauma can affect people when it’s experienced in adulthood, including details about PTSD and C-PTSD, and ways that adults can recover after trauma.

These resources provide law enforcement and multidisciplinary community partners with information on the neurobiology of trauma and investigative strategies to respond to sexual assault crimes in a victim centered, trauma informed manner.

This training bulletin analyzes what the evidence produced from a trauma-informed interview of a sexual assault victim can  accomplish within the U.S. legal system, and how this evidence should be used in a sexual assault investigation and prosecution.