ABSTRACT
Sexual assault and rape can result in devastating sequelae for survivors, including anxiety, depression, sexual difficulties, sleep disorders, substance
Introduction ........................................................................................................ 229 Effects of Rape on Victims and the Police Interview ..................................... 229 Rape Victim Advocates and Police Officers .................................................... 232 Police Officers, Victim Advocates, and Gendered Institutions .................... 234 Sexual Assault Response Teams........................................................................ 237 Current Model Programs .................................................................................. 238 Developing a Successful Sexual Assault Response Team .............................. 240 Summary ............................................................................................................. 242 References ............................................................................................................ 242
abuse, isolation, shame, and mistrust. In addition, a raped female is at heightened risk of developing posttraumatic stress disorder (Kaukinen and DeMaris 2009; Ullman et al. 2007). In the immediate aftermath of a rape, victims may fear men, enclosed spaces, weapons, reminders of sexual activity, physical proximity by an unknown person, raised voices, or demands of any kind (Tidmarch 2012). Because some of these “triggers” (or reminders of the assault) may be present during a police interview, the process of making a report can induce extreme anxiety in a victim (Epstein and Langenbahn 1994; Reid 2010). In conjunction with rape-induced posttraumatic stress, this can result in mental disorganization and difficulty constructing a clear and consistent narrative (Hardy et al. 2009). This can also cause an officer unfamiliar with psychological trauma to conclude that the crime reporter is lying. Thus the same emotional reactions that typify a rape victim may jeopardize her ability to deliver a persuasive official statement (Milne and Bull 2007).
