NCJ Number
167312
Journal
Law Enforcement Quarterly Dated: (February-April 1997) Pages: 7-8
Date Published
1997
Length
2 pages
Annotation
When investigating sex crimes, police officers need to realize sex crime victims tend to shade their stories due to their extreme emotional state and fear of the reactions of loved ones or friends.
Abstract
In addition to being the victim of a crime, like people who are victims of robbery and theft, sex crime victims perceive an additional stigma because the crime is sexual in nature and because they are often apprehensive about their own conduct before the attack. Since that stigma may cause them to alter their stories, a useful tool in investigating sex crimes is victim admonishment. Police officers can advise the victim that sexual assault is a serious crime and that even embarrassing details about the crime are important to reveal. Police officers should also keep in mind there are specific jury instructions on witness credibility that tell jurors how to evaluate witnesses who distort the truth. Examples are provided to illustrate the hesitancy of rape victims to report the nature of their victimization accurately and completely.