• Incorporate comprehensive police investigation practices that focus on the actions and choices of the offender, not the actions or inactions of the victim.

• Encourage a coordinated community response to sexual and domestic assault through coordination of the criminal justice response with medical and supportive services for victims.

What is Trauma?

Trauma affects people from all socioeconomic backgrounds, levels of educational attainment, and areas of geographical residence, ages, and racial or ethnic affiliation.

The more marginalized and most vulnerable members of society are at greater risk

It is more common for youth, the impoverished, and minority groups to experience trauma

Women are more likely to experience higher rates of trauma responses, indicating that gender is also important and relevant in understanding trauma, its causes, and its effects.

The less power a person has the higher the risk of trauma

What is trauma informed care?

• Trauma-informed care is an approach used to engage people with histories of trauma.

• It recognizes the presence of trauma symptoms and acknowledges the role that trauma can play in people’s lives.

• Trauma-informed responses can help to avoid re-traumatizing individuals.

• This increases safety for all, decreases the chance of an individual returning to criminal behavior, and supports the recovery of justice-involved women and men with serious mental illness.

• Partnerships across systems can also help link individuals to trauma-informed services and treatment.

• Many common procedures and practices in service settings retrigger trauma reactions and are experienced as emotionally unsafe and disempowering for survivors of trauma (Harris & Fallot, 2001)

• Service systems that do not subscribe to principles of trauma-informed treatment or understand the pervasive long-term impact of trauma may inadvertently create an invalidating environment.

• As a result, they may fail to reach many people, and experience higher dropout rates than necessary.

• For more information about trauma informed care, see resources like the Trauma Informed Practice Guide developed in British Columbia or the Trauma Informed Tool Kit developed by Klinic Community Health Centre

Understanding the Victim Response to Trauma (Sexual and Domestic Assaults)

1. Individuals respond to trauma in a variety of ways. Victims may display a range of demeanor and emotions from crying and distress, to extremely calm and/or seemingly cheerful.

2. Trauma can affect a victim’s ability to give a detailed or chronological statement. A person who experiences trauma often will recall and/or disclose information over a period of time as memories are triggered and as trust is established with responders.

3. Do not make judgments about credibility based on a victim’s demeanor or inability to articulate a chronological narrative.

4. Be aware that offenders typically choose victims based on a perceived lack of credibility or perceived vulnerability knowing that this will make others doubt the victim’s report of the assault (vulnerabilities may include age, status, alcohol consumption, or other circumstances).

Some Suggested Best Practices

DO

be particularly aware of how the suspect may have exploited or created victim vulnerability and accessibility.

DO

continue to use open-ended questions and do not suggest answers.

DO

say:

• Tell me more about that…

• Tell me your thoughts when…

• Help me understand what you mean…

DO NOT

ask “why” – this can feel blaming to victims.

DO NOT

interrogate the victim. This is not the time to determine if the victim can withstand the rigors of cross-examination at trial.

Case Management — Grey Bruce Situation Table for Acute Risk

The Situation Table is a collaborative, integrated multi-agency team striving to build safer and healthier communities through rapid mobilization of resources and service connections to meet the immediate needs of individuals and families experiencing acutely elevated levels of risk

Membership of the Grey Bruce Situation Table for Acute Risk will consist of those agencies determined as appropriate for participation by the Steering Committee and that have completed an Agency Participation Form, Confidentiality Agreement for each agency participant and the required training.

Representatives at the Situation Table for Acute Risk will have the authority to make decisions for their organizations that fall within the scope of the Table for Acute Risk’s roles and authorities.

• A meeting is called when a referral form is sent to the participating agencies.

• Only agencies that may be able to provide support for the described situation will participate in the Situation Table for Acute Risk meeting.

• The Chair for the Situation Table will schedule the meeting within three business days of receipt of a referral form from Intake.

Referral to the Situation Table

• A meeting is called when a referral form is sent to the participating agencies. Any community agency can contact the Situation Table for a case management meeting for acute risk situations.

• Only agencies that may be able to provide support for the described situation will participate in the Situation Table for Acute Risk meeting.

• The Chair for the Situation Table will schedule the meeting within three business days of receipt of a referral form from Intake.

Situation Table for Acute Risk Membership

Canadian Mental Health Association Grey Bruce

Safety Planning

A comprehensive Guide to Safety Planning in domestic violence situations can be downloaded from Victim Service Bruce Grey Perth http://www.vsbgp.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/Safety-Plan-VSBGP.pdf

On site Safety Planning 24/7 for victims and survivors of domestic abuse: Women’s House Serving Bruce and Grey (Kincardine), The Women’s Centre (Grey & Bruce) (Owen Sound) and Kaebashiwin Place of Rest (Saugeen First Nation).

Telephone Safety Planning is available 24/7 by contacting Violence Against Women Crisis Lines: Women’s House 1 800 265-3026, Women’s Centre 1 800 265-3722 and Victim Services 1-866-376-9852