Experiences of Women Sexual Assault Survivors With Police in the Early Aftermath of Assault: Results From a Large-scale Prospective Study

ABSTRACT – Background – Over 100, 000 women present for emergency care after sexual assault (SA) annually in the United States. No large-scale prospective studies have assessed SA survivor experiences with police. Aims – To evaluate SA survivor experiences with the police. Methods – A large-scale longitudinal study was conducted of women who received SA nurse examiner examinations after presenting to the emergency department following SA at 12 sites (n = 706). Results – At six weeks (n = 630), most women were interested in speaking with the police (75%), spoke with police, and reported positive experiences. Latinas and women with lower income were less likely to speak with police (χ ² = 4.76, p = 0.0370; χ ² = 11.37, p = 0.0008). Survivors with greater posttraumatic stress and previous trauma report worse experiences with police. Qualitative comments provide key points for police to consider. Discussion – This study demonstrates high contact and overall satisfaction with police. However, disparities remain among Latinas, survivors with lower socioeconomic status, and survivors with previous life trauma.