ASA Flashcards
Who does the ASAI policy and procedures apply to?
All cases where the victim is 17 yrs or older at the time of making the complaint.
Who should investigate an ASA complaint?
Employee who has completed the specialist ASA investigator’s course and/or complete the CIB Selection and Induction course post Feb 2011.
List five types of offences that would be considered a sexual assault.
- Sexual violation by rape or unlawful sexual connection
- Indecent assault
- any form of unwanted or coercive touching or actions of a sexual nature in circumstances of indecency
- any sexual abuse or exploitation by way of coercion, deceit, power of authority or mistaken belief
- incest
Who should interview ASA victims?
Person who has completed L3 specialist adult witness training
Explain the types of ASA complaints in terms of when they are reported.
Acute - within 7 days of assault
Non-acute - 7 days to 6 mths
Historic - more than 6 mths
Who can provide appropriate sexual assault support?
- specially trained group or agency
- where no such group, trained sexual assault counsellor
- also other people such as family, whanau etc.
What types of questions should be asked during the preliminary interview?
- TEDS
- What, When, Where, Who
- Not Why or How
What is the first step after the preliminary interview?
Re-assess the investigation so far. What further investigative procedures are necessary including:
• public safety and the likelihood of similar or connected further offending
• the need to secure and preserve fragile or diminishing evidence
• securing/containing scene
• identifying/locating witnesses
• identification and/or apprehension of suspect.
After the preliminary interview and reassessment of the investigation, what further steps come next?
- consider photography of victim for evidential purposes
- consider clothing for examination
- advise of specialist support services
What sort of information should be given to victim regarding the Police investigation process and its timing?
- initial actions (eg. scene examination)
- medical/forensic exam
- formal interview process
- exhibits
- court process
What are the goals of a medical forensic examination?
Primary - victim’s physical, sexual and mental health
Secondary - opportunity to collect evidence
When contacting the medical forensic practitioner, what info should you give them?
- advise the age and gender of the victim as this may impact on the suitability of the practitioner
- advise when the sexual assault was believed to have occurred
- give a very brief outline of the information known so far, including whether drugs may be involved and details of the victim’s injuries, level of intoxication or other known health concerns
- if relevant, discuss the victim’s wishes about gender of the examining practitioner
- when necessary, discuss whether a child’s sexual assault complaint should be investigated using the adult sexual assault procedures (or vice versa).
Give 4 examples of things to take to a medical exam.
- toxicology kit
- change of clothing for victim
- medical examination kit
- relevant information notes
In the debrief with the medical practitioner, list 5 topics that need to be covered.
- immediate needs of victim
- summary of exhibits and possible significance
- forensic items for ESR
- injuries that need to be photographed
- significant disclosures made by victim during exam
Outline what the Evidence Act 2006 says about the evidence of sexual experience of complainants.
s44, Evidence Act 2006
- no evidence can be given and no question put to witness relating to sexual experience of complainant with anyone other than defendant, except with permission of Judge.
- no evidence given, no question put to witness relating to reputation of complainant
