Publication
Sexual Assault Report, January/February 2024
Author
Mikalaa Martin | RTI International
Overview
In August 2022, the FTCOE published a report, Guidance Document on Considerations for Photographic Documentation in Sexual Assault Cases, which presents photographic documentation practices and techniques for Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners to consider during a Sexual Assault Medical Forensic Examination (SAMFE) and provides an overview of photography techniques and digital camera technologies that can be used to document injuries and evidence associated with sexual assault cases. Additionally, the FTCOE report provides—through a systems approach—considerations for adjacent criminal justice professionals who support sexual assault survivors before, during, and after a SAMFE. These adjacent criminal justice professionals include victim advocates, law enforcement investigators, forensic science service providers, and prosecutors. This article, which was featured in the January/February 2024 issue of the Sexual Assault Report, discusses key topics within the FTCOE report including the importance of photographic documentation in SAMFEs, trauma-informed and victim-centered sexual assault response approaches, and the roles of various professionals involved in a sexual assault response team.
The Sexual Assault Report is published bimonthly by Civic Research Institute, Inc. and is intended to bring together ideas from experts in criminal and civil law; nursing and emergency medicine; law enforcement; and counseling and social services. Each issue examines health and forensic research programs and initiatives around the world, survivor support programs and therapies, innovative criminal and civil remedies, medical findings, therapeutic innovations, and more. For more information on the Sexual Assault Report, please visit: Civic Research Institute - Criminal Justice, Health, Social Services, Behavioral Health, Law.
Funding for this Forensic Technology Center of Excellence report was provided by the National Institute of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice.
The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this report are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of the U.S. Department of Justice.
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