Improvements in Sexual Assault Investigation
Minneapolis police and the U tackle unacceptable policies and practices
By Marley Richmond
TW: This article discusses sexual assault. If you or someone you know needs support, the Aurora Center has advocates available to help; visit aurora.umn.edu or call the 24-hour helpline at (612) 626-9111.
Many college students are aware of both the terrifying degree to which sexual assault permeates our community and the disappointing process and results of seeking justice for these crimes. While there is a larger effort now than ever to prevent sexual assault, reports on campus continue to rise. Here at the University of Minnesota, reporting can involve the Title IX office, the Aurora Center, and/or the Minneapolis Police Department (MPD). Unfortunately, sexual assault cases are notoriously difficult to investigate and have historically been mishandled and unfairly managed.
In July of 2018, the Star Tribune began publishing a landmark series examining over 1,000 sexual assault cases across Minnesota, bringing to light hundreds of mishandled reports. 74% were never even forwarded to prosecutors, 12% resulted in a sexual assault charge, and only 7% led to a conviction. Hundreds of victim-survivors were mistreated, pushed to the side, and left in the dark by those who were supposed to help them. These abysmal statistics have been blamed on a lack of resources available to police departments and the complexity of these cases, but in many cases, officers are simply not doing their job thoroughly enough. Not interviewing victims, let alone eyewitnesses, is unacceptable malpractice but was a regular occurrence. Chloe Vraney, a Legal Advocacy Coordinator at the Aurora Center, also pointed out the imprecise and narrow definitions of sexual misconduct in Minnesota legislation as a barrier to conviction. These laws do not, for example, include a legal definition of consent. On campus, however, law enforcement rarely gets involved with reports of sexual misconduct.
Title IX of the Education Amendments Act of 1972 requires that universities ensure equal access to education despite “gender discrimination,” including sexual misconduct. The Aurora Center provides support and accommodations for victim-survivors to ensure this equal. This can include safety planning, residence and academic modifications, counseling, and assistance in reporting to law enforcement. Investigation is long and may be healing or hurtful, and the Aurora Center completely understands and supports students who chose not to report for any reason. According to the 2019 Association of American Universities (AAU) sexual misconduct survey at the U, 22.5% of survivors did not contact a program or resource after being assaulted because they did not want their perpetrator to get in trouble. Vraney commented that “this directly contradicts [many] of the questions regarding false reporting (which happens at extremely low rates),” and is an important insight into the culture surrounding sexual assault which inhibits survivors from finding support.
The Aurora Center, Title IX office, and MPD work together when students do wish to move forward with legal action, and Vraney has seen the MPD’s commitment to improving their procedures following the Star Tribune’s report. The MPD recently introduced a new sexual assault investigation policy built on “compassion, accountability, and responsiveness,” and a survivor-centered approach. This will supposedly move away from practices leaving victim-survivors feeling blamed, interrogated, and defeated during the reporting process. Only within the last six months, however, have police training standards grown to include specific education for sexual assault cases. The MPD has also expanded their team of investigators and hired an advocate to support and communicate with victim-survivors. In addition, a task force is working to revise the Minnesota sexual assault legislation to be more comprehensive (the U, for example, broadly defines it as “sexual contact without affirmative consent”). One can hope, though not without skepticism, that these efforts will succeed in altering the nature of mishandled sexual assault cases.
It is easy to feel dissatisfied and discouraged with the legal system and low conviction rates from sexual assault reports. A shift towards victim-centered investigation and an expansion of available resources will aid in holding more people accountable. Similarly, education and prevention programs will help lower the rates of assaults occurring at all. This work is being tackled across the nation, and Minneapolis’ efforts towards a better future give hope for authentic, tangible change. The Aurora Center encourages victim-survivors to continue seeking services and support; they will always believe, validate, and support survivors in their individual needs.