Sexual Assault Reports to the Police: A Pilot Investigation of the Factors that Influence Victimization Reporting and Victim Perceptions of Police Responses

Author

Hailey A. Powers, University of Montana - MissoulaFollow

Graduation Year

2015

Graduation Month

May

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts

School or Department

Sociology

Major

Sociology – Criminology

Faculty Mentor Department

Sociology

Faculty Mentor

Dr. Dusten Hollist

Faculty Reader(s)

Dr. Jackson Bunch

Keywords

community responses to sexual assault, victim advocates, sexual assault victimization

Subject Categories

Criminology | Other Social and Behavioral Sciences | Politics and Social Change | Social Control, Law, Crime, and Deviance

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine issues associated with the reporting of sexual assault victimization to the police and police responses to these reports. The information gathered will be used to inform best practices regarding future responses by the Missoula Police Department (MPD) and other stakeholders. The information will also be used to inform a larger investigation that will take place after the current pilot phase of the project ends. Evidence gathered from the data collected shows that many officers are conducting successful interviews with survivors of sexual assault. A majority of respondents state that detectives made them feel safe and comfortable. Additional data also suggests that detectives are informing survivors of the next-step proceedings throughout the entire process, contributing to a more positive reported experience by respondents. Survivors are also being encouraged to use additional services outside of the police department, which leads to greater satisfaction with the reporting process.

Honors College Research Project

1

Recommended Citation

Powers, Hailey A., "Sexual Assault Reports to the Police: A Pilot Investigation of the Factors that Influence Victimization Reporting and Victim Perceptions of Police Responses" (2015). Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts. 31.
https://scholarworks.umt.edu/utpp/31