Victims’ Rights and Victims’ Advocates

Abstract

In this chapter, victim advocates (systems and community based) will be defined. Their importance to rape cases will be discussed, including their potential utility within the context of a police-victim interview. Protection of victim’s rights by both advocates and officers will be presented in an international context. Police collaboration with SART and SANE programs will be highlighted. Barriers between police officers and victim advocates will be summarized, including negative perceptions by both. Finally, research findings on police utilization of victim advocates, and resistance to doing so, will be described.