Department of Psychology, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama.
Gulf Coast Behavioral Health & Resiliency Center, Alabama Mental & Behavioral Health Capacity Project, Mobile, Alabama.
J Community Psychol. 2019 Sep;47(7):1733-1749. doi: 10.1002/jcop.22223. Epub 2019 Aug 2.
A mixed-methods study details a multidisciplinary team's efforts to assess and transform police response to sexual assault in a mid-size community.
A police department-wide survey (n = 331) determined baseline levels of officer exposure to trauma-informed training, rape myth acceptance, and awareness of community and nationwide sexual assault movements to understand officer attitudes towards factors influencing sexual assault investigations. These data, in conjunction with SAMHSA's (2012) trauma-informed assumptions, were leveraged to develop and adopt trauma-informed policies that would enhance the police department's response to sexual assault.
At baseline, few officers reported receiving trauma-informed interviewing training (21.8%) or having knowledge of local SAK, #MeToo, or #TimesUp movements (10.0%, 7.2%, 3.9%, respectively). Chi-square analyses suggested officer knowledge of community SAK movement, personal investment in learning about sexual assault, and understanding of trauma were higher in officers with versus without training; of concern, officers with more sexual assaults on their caseload were more likely to endorse rape myths. Training understanding was related to lower rape myth acceptance.
Policy changes, including adding trauma-informed training to the Police Academy, were implemented by the MDT to promote a system-wide trauma-informed approach to sexual assault and ensure community safety.
一项混合方法研究详细描述了一个多学科团队努力评估和改变中型社区警察对性侵犯的反应。
一项全警局范围的调查（n=331）确定了警察接触创伤知情培训、强奸神话接受程度以及对社区和全国性侵犯运动的认识的基本水平，以了解警察对影响性侵犯调查的因素的态度。这些数据，结合 SAMHSA（2012）的创伤知情假设，被用来制定和采用创伤知情政策，以增强警察部门对性侵犯的反应。
在基线时，很少有警察报告接受过创伤知情访谈培训（21.8%）或了解当地 SAK、#我也是、#时间到了运动（分别为 10.0%、7.2%、3.9%）。卡方分析表明，在接受过培训的警察中，对社区 SAK 运动的了解、对学习性侵犯的个人投入以及对创伤的理解程度更高；令人担忧的是，性侵犯案件较多的警察更有可能认可强奸神话。培训理解与较低的强奸神话接受程度相关。
MDT 实施了政策变化，包括在警察学院增加创伤知情培训，以促进全系统对性侵犯的创伤知情方法，并确保社区安全。
