When making the decision to report a crime of sexual abuse or sexual assault you may experience a number of feelings, scared, confused, angry, hurt, or even relief to name a few.  As the SART (Sexual Assault Response Team) Coordinator I have worked together with health care providers that have been trained to be SAFE (Sexual Assault Forensic Examiners), law enforcement, prosecuting attorney’s, and probation officers.  We as a team called Project Response come together to address some of these feelings and create an approach that would better meet the needs of survivors when they may be having such feelings.  One way of doing this, was to have a consist person (SART) involved to provide you or someone you know with support and understanding throughout the criminal justice process.  As the case moves through the legal system from reporting to going to court you could meet a number of different people, knowing that someone you have already met, will be there along the way could help ease some of the feelings you may experience.  As the SART Coordinator I can be available to:
  • Provide support and accompaniment for survivors during police interviews or other procedure involving law enforcement.
  • Accompany and support survivors and support person/s during interaction with the District Attorney’s Office.
  • Provide follow up assistance and support as needed.
  • Keep survivors up to date on the progress of the investigation.
  • Provide survivors and family members with accurate information about the criminal justice system.
  • Make referrals to community resources
  • Help survivors file for victim compensation if appropriate
The legal process could take a long time! Survivors could be waiting up to a year after reporting the crime to the police until trial or a plea agreement is reached.  The SART Coordinator and/or the SACC 24-hour hotline can be with you through all of this!  You don’t have to go through this alone!!!!
To have SART or a SACC Advocate available please call Jaime Ricker SART Coordinator at 784-5272 ext. 105.
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