Supporting survivors of sexual violence with victim-centric investigations

Late last month, brave survivor ‘Avery’ shared her experience of reporting and seeking support following acts of sexual violence committed against herself and her two daughters in an open letter published by the QPS.

Although not an easy journey, Avery and her girls found that taking the first step of reporting the crimes and receiving support set them on a path of healing from the trauma and enabled them to transition from victims to survivors.

The lead officer investigating Avery and her daughters’ case was Detective Senior Constable Kylie Hatton of the Gold Coast District Child Protection and Investigation Unit (CPIU).

A passionate and dedicated investigator with more than 10 years’ experience in child protection, Detective Senior Constable Hatton said a big part of her work initially was to explain the process so complainants could make an informed decision about proceeding with a case.

“It can be an anxious time when people first contact police,” Detective Senior Constable Hatton said.

“They might feel ashamed or embarrassed for something that is not their fault, and they don’t know what the process will be.

“It can be a lot of information for them to process initially, especially about something they have never been through before. I ensure I keep them informed and explain further where required.”

Investigations of this nature and the ensuing court process can take many months or even years to resolve, however Detective Senior Constable Hatton said there were many factors influencing this.

“Each job is different. There might be many witnesses to get statements from, and it can take some time to track everyone down, especially if the sexual assault occurred a long time ago.

“There is no time limit on when a serious indictable crime can be investigated, so a complainant can come to police to report their matter many years after it occurred.

“It can take time, but you want to do it right and not rush it.”

Crimes that have just occurred are best reported to Triple Zero (000) so the complainant gets the help they need and police can commence an investigation as soon as possible to preserve evidence.

Anyone reporting a crime, recent or historical, can go to any police station and ask to speak to an officer privately about a sensitive matter so they are not in earshot of other members of the public.

That police officer will take initial details, and the case will then be referred to a specialist investigator from the CPIU or the Criminal Investigation Branch (CIB).

In Avery’s case, two children were also involved and so the entire case was referred to the CPIU to be managed holistically by the one investigative unit.

On the Gold Coast, the CPIU is located in a private building away from the police station and staffed with plain clothes officers.

Not everyone feels comfortable contacting police directly however, and a victim’s first point of contact might be through a support counselling service such as 1800 RESPECT as it was in Avery’s case, or even their doctor.

Victims of sexual crime are also able to contact police online if they can’t manage a face-to-face interview, and there are alternative reporting options for people who wish to report the crime but don’t want to go through the process of prosecuting the perpetrator.

Once cases have been assigned to the appropriate unit, Detective Senior Constable Hatton said investigators developed a strong rapport with victims, supporting them and keeping them informed of any progress.

“We are not counsellors, but we do have to wear a few hats in our line of work, and we are here to listen and help as best as we possibly can,” she said.

“Although we always refer people to professional counselling services, we form good relationships with the victims, and they often spill their hearts out to us as part of the investigation process.”

She said victims sometimes changed their mind about going ahead with a complaint.

“We don’t pressure anyone to continue if they don’t want to, but if they have concerns, we are happy to explain further to see if we can alleviate that concern.

“All police now receive further training in being trauma-informed and victim-centric, but this is actually what CPIU have been doing for many years already.

“We are here for the complainant, to listen and to believe them. It’s about what the victim wants, not what we want.”

As Detective Senior Constable Hatton has realised over the years, success isn’t always just about a conviction.

“Sometimes, despite everything, we just can’t acquire the evidence we need to proceed. It can be disappointing, but we keep the victim informed and don’t make promises we can’t keep,” she said.

“Simply reporting a violent or sexual crime and being listened to and believed can be very cathartic however, and can really help the victim.

“I remember one case – it was a historical crime perpetrated on a man when he was a child – and partway through the case he realised he couldn’t be sure he could confidently identify the perpetrator anymore.

“We couldn’t continue with the case, but simply by having someone listen to him, believe him and strive to do their best for him made the man feel he had healed tremendously and that a weight had been lifted.

“I’ve had a few jobs like that – kids and adults alike – who feel they are able to move on with their lives because they have reported the crime and no longer have the burden of carrying an awful secret.”

Detective Senior Constable Hatton is incredibly passionate about her job, but came to policing relatively late in her career.

“I remember watching crime shows in high school and thinking that I wanted to help victims get justice, but my mother worried that policing was a dangerous job and I abandoned the idea.

“Then when I was in my late 20s, a friend of mine was accepted into the police academy and I started thinking about it again. I thought I’d left it too late, but actually it was a good age because I had life experience by then.”

She successfully applied to join the QPS and graduated from the QPS Academy in 2006.

After several years at Surfers Paradise in general duties, she knew she wanted to do more to help victims of the worst crimes.

“It’s often the most vulnerable who are the victims – children, women, the impaired and the elderly. I thought if I can do this job, then I should, as it’s such important work.

“Having five years’ experience as a police officer, I thought I knew almost everything about the crimes people commit until I started with the CPIU. I was wrong.

“I don’t know how some people have the courage to come forward and report what has happened to them, especially children. I am in awe of these people; they are so brave.

“At first I just felt really angry about the offenders who hurt such vulnerable children, but then I learned to put my anger aside and use my knowledge and training to get the best results possible for the complainant.

“You develop understanding and rapport – even with the baddies sometimes – and this helps you be effective in doing your job.”

As well as channelling her anger, Detective Senior Constable Hatton has embraced her specialist training to assist her investigations.

She has completed the Investigative Interviewing Course and three phases of Detective Training, as well as further QPS courses dealing specifically with sexual violence.

“The first of these was the CPIU Investigators course which covers mainly sex offences, how to investigate them and includes interpreting and understanding legislation and case law.

“Next was ISACURE – Investigating Sexual Assault – Corroborating and Understanding Relationship Evidence.

“This is the best and most enjoyable course I’ve ever completed. It helps you understand and support victims, how trauma affects the brain, and how to get the full story to complete the best investigation possible.

“We are learning all the time, however, and you are never alone when you are investigating a case.

“We have many departments in the QPS to provide support and advice, such as the Behavioural Specialist Unit, forensic experts and the Child Abuse and Sexual Crimes Group to name a few.

“We are always trying to better ourselves.”

Detective Senior Constable Hatton said it was important to have specialist areas within the QPS.

“Many police officers would not be able to do my job. You’ve got to be the right person for it.

“As with others working in this field, you need to be able to compartmentalise the work, so it doesn’t impact upon yourself as much.”

Although the outcome may not be the one originally hoped for, Detective Senior Constable Hatton said she had never come across anyone who regretted reporting a sexual violence crime to police.

“Sometimes I personally feel disappointed if we don’t get a more robust court outcome, but I generally find the victims are satisfied.

“I guess they can feel like a weight has been lifted and it’s finally all over. It can help them take back control in their lives.

“Avery is one such amazing woman. She’s a positive person and I’ve seen her and her family transition from victims to survivors.

“She is a great speaker too – not everyone wants to talk about what has happened to them but going through this process has empowered her to speak out. “This makes me so happy. Knowing that if I have helped even one family makes my whole career worthwhile,” Detective Senior Constable Hatton said.