The police investigation generally begins with an interview of the victim, who inevitably has the most information about the crime. This in-depth interview may not be conducted at the same time as the victim’s initial report and it may be conducted over more than one interview session. The victim may already have provided a brief written or oral statement of the crime. Depending on the size of the police department handling the case, it is possible that the police officer who took the victim’s initial complaint and statement will not be the one investigating the crime. The detailed interview of the victim may take place later by another police officer or detective. It may take place at a police precinct or another location, possibly even the victim’s home.

During the interview, the case officer or detective will ask questions of the victim to elicit as much detail about the crime as possible. These details will help guide the police investigation by alerting them to possible avenues to obtain additional evidence, other witnesses to interview, and potential identification and/or location information for the perpetrator. For example, if the victim does not know the assailant, the police will try to obtain a detailed description to attempt to identify him/her. The details of the sexual assault can be extremely difficult for the victim to talk about but are critically important to the police investigation. The investigating officer or detective may also interview any other potential witnesses—that is, anyone that may have information about the crime.

Whether a victim advocate may be present for law enforcement interviews of sexual assault victims depends on local law and practice. Consult your agency’s state-specific supplemental guide for information about the law and local practice in your jurisdiction. For victim advocates who are permitted to accompany victims to these interviews, Module 7 will discuss ways advocates can assist victims and investigators to ensure the interviews are productive and trauma-informed.