The program will connect survivors of sexual assault with forensic interviewers, instead of assigning the work to police officers who don’t have specialized trauma training.
The Harris County District Attorney’s office has partnered with seven universities and the Texas Forensic Nurse Examiners to provide trauma-informed care to survivors of sexual assault at colleges and universities.
The DA’s office reallocated $165,829 in forfeiture money to fund the initiative, which will connect survivors of sexual assault with forensic interviewers, instead of assigning the work to police officers who don’t have specialized trauma training. According to Harris County DA Kim Ogg, it’s important for survivors of sexual assault to be interviewed by someone who is trauma-informed.
According to the Rape Abuse & Incest National Network, college women ages 18-24 are three times more likely to be sexually assaulted, but only 20% of them will report their assault to law enforcement. Isaiah Martin, a former University of Houston student who helped create the program, said the initiative was created to help survivors who didn’t report due to a lack of resources.
Martin, who helped create the program with Ogg’s son Jack Jordan, said the program is the only program in Harris County that was created by survivors for survivors. He added that he wants to eventually take the program statewide to help more survivors of sexual assault.
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