Dane County Commission on Sensitive CrimesCoordinated Community Response for Sexual AssaultThe Need for Coordinated Community
Response Projects
Victims of sexual assault have many needs as a result of this crime.
They often confront many different community systems, each designed to address
a specific issue or problem. Victims may choose to seek help from a variety
of sources. How agencies react to victims should be a direct reflection
of our community's standard about sexual assault response.
In communities with a wide range of available services, poor communication
between systems, poorly informed referrals, or contradictory policies and
procedures lead to re-victimization, barriers to services and a reluctance
to report. Articulating community standards for all sexual assault victims
and holding sex offenders accountable for their crimes makes a strong statement
of support to victims. In 1994, the U.S. Department of Justice studied the
various community systems that responde to sexual assault including law
enforcement, criminal justice, medical and victim advocates. They concluded
that "cooperation and close coordination among law enforcement officials,
prosecutors, rape crisis counselors, and medical service providers can result
in more swift and effective response to rape." (The Criminal Justice
and Community Response to Rape, 1994). Thus, public and private support
for Coordinated Community Response projects have been initiated nationally
and statewide.
Dane County Coordinated Community
Response to Sexual Assault (CCRSA) History
The purpose of the CCRSA is to insure coordination in responding
to sexual assault, secure consistent services for victims/survivors and
affirm Dane County is effectively addressing the range of issues contributing
to sexual violence. By bringing the various community systems who interact
with sexual assault victims/survivors together for an ongoing dialogue,
we aim to develop and maintain a more coordinated community response to
sexual assault.
Three areas that the CCRSA has focused its attention are, victim
services, prevention, and sex offender treatment. Since the project began
in January of 1994, much time has been devoted to discussing the coordination
of victim services. The development of the Dane
County Sexual Assault Victim's Bill of Rights
has become the foundation for these discussions.
