Why Campuses Should Conduct Trauma-Informed Sexual Assault Investigations

We are pleased to announce that Jeffrey J. Nolan, J.D., a faculty member for our Trauma-Informed Sexual Assault Investigation and Adjudication Institute, will be presenting the next free webinar in our series, Campus Public Safety Online.

Promising practices strongly suggest that when colleges and universities conduct sexual assault investigations and adjudications as required by Title IX, they should employ a trauma-informed approach.

While a trauma-informed approach naturally promotes access for complainants by encouraging their participation, it also promotes accuracy by enabling investigators and decision-makers to ask appropriate questions and better understand evidence that may be affected by trauma. A more accurate understanding of evidence in turn promotes fairness to all parties. When put in the appropriate context and applied properly, a trauma-informed approach benefits complainants, respondents, and institutions of higher education. We hope you can join us for a discussion of these timely, important issues.

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