Wisconsin Prosecutor's Sexual Assault Reference Book
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Published and distributed by the WisconsinPublished andOffice distributed of Justice by the Assistance Wisconsin Office of Justice Assistance Wisconsin Prosecutor’s Sexual Assault Reference Book October 2009 The Prosecutor’s Sexual Assault Reference Book was developed and written by the Prosecutor’s Sexual Assault Reference Book Committee and compiled and edited by Wisconsin Coalition Against Sexual Assault (WCASA) and published by the Wisconsin Office of Justice Assistance, Violence Against Women Program. Please refer questions and comments to: Please refer questions and comments to: Wisconsin Office of Justice Assistance VAWA Program 1 S. Pinckney St., Ste. 615 Madison, WI 53703-3220 Phone: (608) 266-3323 Fax: (608) 266-6676 Email: [email protected] -or- Wisconsin Coalition Against Sexual Assault 600 Williamson St, Ste. N-2 Madison, Wisconsin 53703 Phone/TTY (608) 257-1516 Fax (608) 257-2150 Email: [email protected] As a “living document,” this reference book reflects current best practices in responding to adult sexual assault. We invite readers to contact the Office of Justice Assistance or the Wisconsin Coalition Against Sexual Assault to recommend and share information on emerging best practices that will contribute to the continued development of this guide. This project was supported by grant # 2005-WE-AX-0009 awarded by the Office on Violence Against Women, U.S. Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, conclusions and recommendations expressed in this publication, program/exhibition are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Office on Violence Against Women Program. This reference book is dedicated to all the courageous survivors of sexual assault and to the tireless advocates and prosecutors that join them in seeking healing and justice. Wisconsin Prosecutor’s Sexual Assault Reference Book Wisconsin Coalition Against Sexual Violence Page 4 Acknowledgements ..................................................................................................................... 10 I. Overview of Reference Book Development ...................................................................... 12 A. Background on Development of the Reference Book ...................................................... 12 B. Organization of the Reference Book................................................................................. 12 II. Victim-Centered, Offender-Focused Prosecution............................................................ 13 A. Victim-Centered Response............................................................................................... 14 B. An Offender-Focused Response ....................................................................................... 14 III. Pre-Charging Issues........................................................................................................ 15 A. Traumatic Responses to Sexual Violence......................................................................... 15 1. Definition of Trauma .................................................................................................... 16 2. Neurobiology of Trauma/Chemical Reactions to Trauma............................................ 16 a) Chemical Reactions.................................................................................................. 16 b) Stress Response......................................................................................................... 16 c) Immediate Psychological Reactions ......................................................................... 17 d) Ongoing Psychological Reactions............................................................................ 17 3. Counterintuitive Victim Responses to Trauma............................................................. 18 a) Memory Lapses......................................................................................................... 18 b) Cooperative Behavior of the Victim......................................................................... 19 c) Inappropriate Affect.................................................................................................. 19 d) Freeze Response........................................................................................................ 20 e) Delayed Reporting.................................................................................................... 20 4. Consequences of Trauma/Mental Health Symptoms of Trauma.................................. 21 a) Dissociation............................................................................................................... 21 b) Negative Coping Behaviors ...................................................................................... 22 5. Implications for Prosecutors ......................................................................................... 22 B. Reporting Issues................................................................................................................ 23 1. Delayed Reporting........................................................................................................ 24 C. Rape Myths....................................................................................................................... 25 1. Victim Myths................................................................................................................ 25 2. Sex Offender Myths...................................................................................................... 29 D. Perceived Victim Credibility Issues.................................................................................. 31 1. Focusing on the Victim................................................................................................. 31 a) Lack of Victim Cooperation ..................................................................................... 31 b) Victim Behavior and Lifestyle.................................................................................. 32 c) Victim Risk Factors .................................................................................................. 33 d) Prior History of Sexual Abuse .................................................................................. 34 e) “Counterintuitive” Victim Behaviors ....................................................................... 34 2. Common Defenses to Sexual Assault........................................................................... 35 a) “He Said/She Said” Cases......................................................................................... 35 b) False Report Defense ................................................................................................ 37 c) Lack of Physical Injury............................................................................................. 38 Wisconsin Prosecutor’s Sexual Assault Reference Book Wisconsin Coalition Against Sexual Violence Page 5 d) The Consent Defense ................................................................................................ 39 e) Other Potential Defenses........................................................................................... 43 3. Recanting Victims......................................................................................................... 44 E. Issues Specific to Children................................................................................................ 45 1. Developmental Limitations........................................................................................... 46 a) Cognition Limitations ............................................................................................... 46 b) Language Limitations ............................................................................................... 47 c) Limitations on Fund of Knowledge .......................................................................... 47 2. Lack of Parental Support .............................................................................................. 48 3. The Unlikable Parent .................................................................................................... 49 4. Intra-Family Dynamics ................................................................................................. 50 5. Child Grooming Behaviors........................................................................................... 51 6. “Consent”...................................................................................................................... 53 a) The “Consenting Child” Myth.................................................................................. 53 b) Assisting “Consenting” Child Victims ..................................................................... 53 c) Addressing Community Beliefs................................................................................ 53 7. “Coaching” of the Child Victim ................................................................................... 54 8. The Myth that Children “Fantasize” About Sex or Sexual Assault.............................. 55 9. Self-blame..................................................................................................................... 56 10. Lack of Knowledge that it was Sexual Abuse .......................................................... 57 11. Disclosure Issues During Child Custody Cases........................................................ 58 F. Issues Specific to Teens...................................................................................................