2018 Program

This workshop will explore the challenges facing colleges and universities where students fall prey to abduction and exploitation. Attendees will learn about factors that contribute to victimization and hear examples of students who have been the victims of kidnapping, abductions, and sexual exploitation in the college setting. The presenter will also discuss the growing challenge of students who are  caught up in commercial exploitation and the warning signs that this form of victimization may be happening in many communities.

Survivors of intimate partner and sexual violence are often unable to participate in the criminal justice process, often due to the defendant’s intimidation and manipulation. Prosecutors in these cases must be prepared for the possibility that when the case goes to trial, the victim may be absent. This workshop will assist prosecutors and allied professionals in understanding the legal requirements for introducing the out-of-court statements of a non-testifying witness, emphasizing the importance of identifying and documenting the victim’s non-testimonial statements, preserving the victim’s testimony at a proceeding that affords an opportunity for cross-examination, establishing grounds for forfeiture by wrongdoing, and arguing the admissibility of the victim’s out-of-court statements.

This workshop, geared toward probation and parole officers, will discuss techniques for addressing domestic violence offenders in a misdemeanor or felony setting from a specialized systems perspective. This occurs not only by holding the offender accountable, but also assisting the victim(s) in these cases. The presenter will discuss how offenders are best monitored in a specialized unit with officers trained on how to identify and coordinate proper services for all parties involved in the crime. Attendees will learn from the experiences of a department in a large metropolitan area of Georgia utilizing these successful approaches to hold offenders accountable and assist victims throughout the term of sentencing.

Join fellow advocates for networking and an open discussion on current “hot topics” in your field.

This workshop will discuss the growing problem of women and girls from tribal communities who are victims of exploitation, human trafficking, and abductions. Native women are at the highest risk of both physical and sexual assault and are over-represented as victims of human trafficking in communities across the U.S. and Canada. Additionally, many Native women go missing in the U.S. and Canada, and their cases go uninvestigated or even unreported to law enforcement. This workshop suggests strategies for protecting Native women and recovering the missing.

Animal cruelty and threats to harm pets are tactics commonly used by batterers to coerce and intimidate human family members. This workshop reviews the research linking animal cruelty and domestic violence, explores the dynamics of animal cruelty in the context of power and control, identifies ways that professionals working with both perpetrators and victims of violence can be more responsive to this issue, and explains how this awareness can improve victim safety and batterer accountability. Specific strategies for both victim service agencies and criminal justice agencies will be presented, as well as a systems-level overview of how we can “widen the net” of coordinated community response to domestic violence by including animal control agencies and others who may encounter domestic violence cases through working with four-legged victims. The workshop concludes by highlighting local resources such as “safe haven for animals” programs.

Human trafficking is a complex crime, often involving a wide range of criminal activity and victimization beyond that proscribed in trafficking statutes. Criminal justice professionals can more effectively hold traffickers accountable by investigating and charging the full range of co-occurring crimes in which these offenders have engaged, particularly those that can be proved without victim testimony. Additional considerations may be required where victims of trafficking have themselves engaged in criminal conduct. In such cases, a more nuanced assessment of culpability is required in order to make appropriate, ethical charging decisions, and to determine the appropriate disposition at sentencing. This workshop will discuss crimes that commonly accompany trafficking activity and outline the strategic advantages of charging those offenses. The presenters will suggest strategies for analyzing the culpability of victims who have engaged in criminal activity and appropriate considerations for making decisions regarding charging and sentencing.

This workshop will explore how domestic violence affects the relationship a mother has with her children. Because the mother-child relationship is vital to a child’s healing, attendees will learn how to involve the mother in her child’s therapy and trauma processing. The presenter will discuss attachment theory and how to implement specific attachment activities when working with a mother and child who have experienced domestic violence, as well as how to implement guiding principles and techniques taken from Filial Therapy, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), and Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT). The presenter will also provide guidance on how to use these techniques in a multiple family group setting.

Sexual violence is a topic that needs serious focus and respect, but talking about it can be a bummer. How do we balance the reverence needed with this issue while working to engage an audience to not only stay awake, but be fired up to engage in making change?

This workshop explains how and why family law courts are so badly abandoning abused women and their children across the U.S. and Canada. Topics examined include the role of the attorney, common errors made by custody and psychological evaluators, destructive myths and discriminatory attitudes that influence judicial behavior, and public misconceptions about custody. The presenters then move into examining how to right these wrongs through strategies for empowering battered women, training attorneys and courts personnel, and building a powerful grassroots movement for family court reform.

Extensive research findings indicate that improving police and prosecutorial response to men who batter is the single best approach to reducing domestic violence perpetration. This workshop will cover best practices for on-scene response, follow-up investigation, and prosecution through to conviction, emphasizing the need for effective coordination among the different players. Topics will include: identifying the primary aggressor, interacting with children at the scene, evidence gathering, process-centered prosecution, prosecuting without the victim, and effective sentencing for perpetrators.

At least 10-25% of adolescents are victims of relationship abuse (ARA), with substantially higher rates reported for at-risk teens. Victims of ARA experience a host of devastating consequences, including mental and physical health problems, suicide, delinquency, risky sexual behavior, school failure, and substance abuse. Individuals who perpetrate violence and sexual aggression in their adolescent relationships are also more likely to continue this behavior in their adult intimate relationships. Appropriate for anyone engaged in prevention work, this workshop will address important and modifiable risk/protective factors of ARA, as well as best practices for screening, prevention, and treatment.

It is impossible to hide. It is impossible to escape. The reptilian, the mammalian and the left and the right cerebral cortex always are active. Primitive brain functions remain. Epigenetic influences persist. The social brain has learned. In collaboration, these truths influence every waking moment. What if a person has experienced trauma? Brain reactions range from a temporary mild change in cognitive function to dissociative episodes. Such reactions are survival based and rudimentary, and, qualitatively, they are both functional and dysfunctional. During this session, attendees will be introduced to the neuroscience of trauma the social neuroscientific consequences of trauma. We will examine interactions with a traumatized person, and tactics for building rapport and relationship. Attendees will be given an overview of treatment options with and emphasis on the effectiveness of EMDR therapy.

What are the key elements to successfully beginning a CCR and keeping it going? Who should be at the table? What are the first steps? Find out the answers to these vital questions and many more. This workshop will examine the building blocks of successful partnerships, working collaboratively to identify and solve problems, sharing a common goal, understanding each other’s responsibilities and limitations, and maintaining honest communications. Attendees will learn how to avoid the pitfalls of not having the right players at the table from day one and how to get started on the right track of taking ownership and shaping a CCR to meet their communities’ needs for many years to come.

This workshop will focus on creating and sustaining effective DVHRTs in a community. The first focus will be on the importance of defining the role and empowering the Coordinator in a DVHRT. The second focus will be on building relationships with professionals and establishing core team members in the beginning, as well as drafting Memorandums of Understanding (MOUs). The workshop will then move into addressing the importance of having a tool/assessment for establishing a criteria for case acceptance and discussing various methods of accepting, working, and tracking cases within the DVHRT. The presenter will also discuss the importance of establishing and maintaining ongoing communication, team meetings, succession planning of members, and staying focused on a victim-centered approach throughout the process.

It takes courage to help victims of trauma, assist survivors of violence, support those who have experienced loss, and respond to crime scenes. It also takes commitment to do this work despite the personal, physical, emotional, and mental impact it can have. Law enforcement, victim advocates, and other first responders are routinely exposed to trauma and impacted by the cumulative stress of the daily requirements of the job. It is critical for agencies and organizations to recognize and support members’ well-being and address vicarious trauma (VT). Through personal and professional experiences and expertise, as well as research-based information, the presenters will define VT, discuss the potential impact VT on individuals and the organization, and highlight warning signs and indicators of VT. They will then present the Vicarious Trauma Toolkit (VTT) and other resources, strategies, and programs that agencies and organizations can implement to better support members’ health and well-being in order to create stronger, more sustainable organizations and strengthen response to the individuals served.

This workshop begins with a brief overview of the causes of domestic violence perpetration. A checklist will be reviewed for assessing whether an abuser has made meaningful progress in overcoming his abuse issues with explanation of how to detect false claims of change. The workshop then looks at specific roles that professionals can play in contributing to change and accountability for abusers, including interventions by police, prosecution, judges, probation and parole, and batterer intervention programs. The presenter will also examine how other community players can contribute to accountability and change, including clergy, parent educators, school personnel, substance abuse counselors, therapists, friends, and relatives.

A coordinated response to intimate partner violence provides maximum support to the victims of such crimes. Over the years, prosecutors have learned the value of collaboration with law enforcement, advocates, and other allied professionals in the interest of promoting victim safety and offender accountability. However, the victim’s civil attorney can be a sometimes-overlooked collaborator. This workshop will suggest ways in which prosecutors and civil practitioners can better understand each other’s roles and advance their common interest in the victim’s safety and well-being during the course of criminal proceedings and any related civil proceedings. Appropriate information-sharing, with the victim-client’s consent, may help to identify unreported criminal offenses, valuable evidence that may corroborate (or substitute for) the victim’s in-court testimony, and admissions or valuable investigative leads disclosed in discovery, as well as victim concerns regarding appropriate disposition (such as no-contact conditions, restitution, or substance abuse treatment).

The passage of time in cold-case sexual assault prosecutions complicates the challenges presented in any rape case. Jurors often have unrealistic expectations about forensic evidence: where it can be found, when it can be present, and what it can tell us. Prosecutors must understand the availability and significance of such evidence (or its absence) in order to present and explain it at trial in a clear, realistic, and compelling way. This workshop will focus on types of forensic evidence that may be available in a cold-case sexual assault, including DNA and the contents of a sexual assault kit. The presenters will discuss evidence identification, case preparation, working with experts, the introduction of forensic evidence at trial, presentation of expert testimony to explain the significance of forensic evidence or its absence, and overcoming defense challenges to forensic evidence.

This workshop will address mainstream U.S. culture in terms of sexuality, gender roles, and perceptions of hook-ups. Additionally, the presenters will address the need to develop Sexual Assault Prevention and Response (SAPR) and Equal Opportunity (EO) programs in the military that combat and redefine norms based on today’s standards, ethos, and Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ). An emphasis will be placed on tangible ways to create culturally competent initiatives within respective units and installations to address key cultural factors leading to sexual assault and harassment.

Each year, 7.5 million people are stalked in the United States. However, stalking continues to be underreported by victims and overlooked by responders. Given the high co-occurrence of stalking and domestic violence, sexual assault, human trafficking, and femicide, it is vital that responders identify, investigate, and prosecute stalking cases. Stalking victims often report feeling ignored by the very system that is designed to assist them. This workshop will assist practitioners in developing strategies to increase victim safety and offender accountability while identifying stalking as the commonality in violence against women cases.

Although mass shootings only account for a fraction of the total gun deaths each year in this country, statistics show that over half of those incidents were related to domestic or family violence. In nearly half of these, the shooter demonstrated warning signs prior to the incident, and in one third of the incidents, the shooter was prohibited from possessing guns. One in four victims was a child. Not all domestic abusers go on to become mass shooters, but is there an identifiable link? Do studies identifying other factors for Intimate Partner Homicide (IPH) suggest an answer to these questions? What is the link between guns and IPH? Is review of the gun-suicide phenomenon informative? Regardless of whether a causal nexus can be established, what does the statistical correlation mean for practitioners? What strategies have been developed? Where should research focus? This workshop will explore these questions and discuss strategies to reduce gun violence.

This workshop is an advanced examination of the wounding incurred by victims of trafficking and the complex trauma that must be addressed. Attendees will learn about The Samaritan Women’s process of creating a human services model where no prior model existed for a population about which very little is known. The presenter will share the clinical expertise and innovative approaches to care that TSW has incorporated into its model. Attendees will gain a solid understanding of the issue of domestic sex trafficking, learn factors that lead to victimization, and see how the human services model developed by The Samaritan Women responds to the complex needs of survivors.

This workshop will explore the continuum of sexual violence including dynamics of sexual assault and exploitation. The presenters will examine how trauma from gender-based and sexual violence creates barriers to service and discuss how to provide trauma-informed services and investigations in a campus setting. This interactive session will include scenario-based group activities.

First responders, specifically police officers, death investigators, fire fighters, and EMS professionals, have a unique opportunity to recognize or miss the clues of a staged crime scene. They also have the ability to contaminate, destroy, overlook, or preserve critical evidence and statements that tell the real story about what happened. This workshop will examine and analyze three actual death/crime scenes and test attendees’ abilities to differentiate fact from fiction. Will justice be served, or will someone get away with murder?

This workshop is a continuation of the keynote presentation. The presenter will provide attendees with a working knowledge of criminal profiling by examination of the methods used in the identification and apprehension of individuals engaged in serial violent crimes. Attendees will learn to examine behavioral analysis as a viable investigative tool that can contribute positively in investigations from the crime scene to the courtroom. There will be significant time for Q &A.

As society progresses beyond identification and recovery of victims and begins to look at factors contributing to the proliferation of sex trafficking within the culture, we find ourselves at the intersection of pimp culture, pornography, prostitution, and human trafficking. This workshop will bring those connections out of the shadows, provide the social science research that validates those links, and elucidate the harm perpetuated by this cycle. The presenter will examine varying examples of cultural acceptance and the dangers in this acquiescence, and suggest potential shifts in the approach to tackling this complex and self-perpetuating crime. Finally, the workshop will discuss how recognition of the connections could alter potential strategies in the fight against human trafficking in the prevention, identification, prosecution recovery, and rehabilitation contexts.

This workshop will take a closer look at what tools to use to determine dominant aggressor in a domestic violence situation, as well as aspects that constitute legal use of force in defense of self or others. The workshop is designed to move the focus from the immediate incident to the totality of the relationship. The presenters will discuss wound dynamics and methods of determining offensive versus defensive wounds. Attendees will be asked to determine the dominant aggressor in a multi-part video scenario.

Victimization rates in Indian country are high, particularly for crimes like sexual assault and domestic violence. In non-PL 280 jurisdictions, the federal government has concurrent jurisdiction with the tribe for many of these offenses. And, even in PL 280 states, the federal government may have jurisdiction to prosecute some intimate partner violence crimes occurring on the reservation. In each of these situations, it is likely that tribal personnel will be the first responders to the crime scene or to meet with the victim. This workshop will address how different jurisdictions can work collaboratively to investigate and prosecute violent crimes in tribal communities. The presenter will also discuss elements needed to prove the most commonly charged assault crimes in Indian country, special federal evidentiary rules that apply in sexual assault cases, and laws in the federal system that protect victims of domestic violence and sexual assault.

This workshop will explore the benefits of serving victims of domestic violence and children who witness violence through multi-agency, multi-disciplinary collaboratives. In addition to discussing the development of family justice centers around the world, the presenters will discuss their experience in building the One Safe Place Family Justice Center in Fort Worth, TX. With 22 partner agencies working together under one roof, One Safe Place is one of the largest and most comprehensive family justice centers in the world.

This workshop will discuss Polaris’ “The Typology of Modern Slavery” report, outlining the 25 types of human trafficking in the United States. The presenter will discuss how this typology is relevant for the reframing of law enforcement and prosecution methods in disrupting human trafficking networks and supporting survivors. Polaris’ Disruption Strategies are designed to disrupt embedded systems that empower and enable human trafficking in the United States. This effort provides case studies, cutting edge investigative/prosecutorial practices, and best practices for survivor engagement and inclusion for first responders. Learn about commercial front sex trafficking and ways in which the network of law enforcement jurisdictions across the country can elevate local anti-trafficking operations.

10,000 Americans turn 65 each day. Approximately 1 in 10 older adults report being abused in the past year, the majority of whom are women. In this workshop, attendees will hear the stories of older victims of crime and the dynamics of those experiences, discuss practical strategies and tips for working effectively with older victims, and learn about the many ways which collaboration can improve responses to these complex cases. This interactive workshop will also address issues of equity and justice for older victims from marginalized communities.

Too often interrogation is focused only on soliciting confessions, and thereby misses the opportunity to gather valuable information. Attendees will learn a new mindset of interrogation based on an empathetic, rapport building approach. The end goal of the interrogation process is to gather additional leads and information in a conversational, non-adversarial manner which will keep your suspect talking. The use of “soft” interrogation rooms will be discussed as an alternative atmosphere for the successful solicitation of detailed information and, ultimately, confessions.

As David Brown, Former Dallas Police Chief & Genesis HeRO, said, “Societies are defined by how they treat women. We cannot accept that abuse of women is normal or routine.” Violence against women is not merely a woman’s issue. This workshop will explore unique ways in which men can be an active and critical part of the solution while increasing awareness and accountability. Genesis’ men’s auxiliary program, HeROs (He Respects Others), serve as mentors, grill masters, court advocates, funders, ambassadors, and community educators. Attendees will learn to organize, recruit, train, and engage men to help end violence against women.

Attendees will first learn about the ODARA risk assessment tool for domestic violence offenders as it has been implemented in Maine. Using a case study, attendees will then explore the following creative multi-disciplinary interventions to manage risk that assist victims and hold offenders accountable in the community: 1) the Enhanced Police Intervention Collaborative project in which EPIC advocates work with local law enforcement; 2) high-risk response teams: a victim-centered vehicle for communication, risk management, and safety planning among disciplines; and 3) electronic monitoring of domestic violence offenders with the goal of reducing domestic violence.

Trafficking cases provide varied and complicated issues for the discovery process. Many of the victims have criminal history, mental health conditions, drug and alcohol history, immigration issues, and placements in the foster care and juvenile justice systems. Because of their unfavorable history with the system, victims are often hostile to law enforcement and require substantial time and/or multiple interviews before they are willing to reveal the truth. Through the lens of legal ethics, this workshop will walk participants through the issues and solutions surrounding uncooperative victims, case charging issues, case preparation, and trial. This workshop will provide participants with tools to successfully work with and protect the rights of these victims, navigate the discovery process, and ensure that prosecutors meet their Brady and Morton obligations under the law.

This workshop will provide an overview of ethics and etiquette in law enforcement. How is law enforcement biased? Is it a learned behavior? Can we teach someone to not be biased? What are some ethical dilemmas law enforcement faces everyday? What is etiquette in law enforcement? Do we treat certain individuals or groups differently? Take an inside look through the eyes of a police officer.

When may a victim in a family violence case need their own attorney? What about those recantations? Ethics for prosecutors and attorneys representing victims take on new dimensions in family violence cases. Attendees will discuss the issues raised through scenarios encountered regularly and review the statutes and case law that guide conduct.

As policing evolves, law enforcement should continually evaluate their response to the diverse populations they serve. Violence perpetrated against communities of color, communities who are gender diverse, and communities who identify as LGBTQ+ have long been documented. Law enforcement is making huge strides to end gender bias and address violence perpetrated in communities of color. However, violence perpetrated against members of the LGBTQ+ community is still under-reported and often overlooked by law enforcement. This workshop will address unique barriers to reporting present in the LGBTQ+ community and steps that can be taken to overcome those barriers. The presenter will also examine the significant impact law enforcement’s response to LGBTQ+ victims has on the community and the importance of building positive relationships that encourage trust and respect.

Many believe that when a victim experiences a traumatic event, the brain will explicitly record the majority of details about the crime in chronological  order. Therefore, most professionals, judges, and jurors are trained to ask victims for a detailed linear narrative. Unfortunately, this approach to interviewing may inhibit recall of important psychophysiological evidence and impact the accuracy of information provided. This may be even more true in Native American communities where the majority may be victims of crime and may live where generations have experienced trauma. The Forensic Experiential Trauma Interview (FETI) interview technique draws on the best practices of child forensic interviews, critical incident stress management, and neuroscience: combining them all into a simple three-pronged approach that unlocks the trauma experience in a way that professionals can better understand.

Not recognizing a true false report of sexual assault may be one of the most important barriers to successfully investigating these crimes, especially with cases involving non-strangers. Non-stranger cases have several “red flags” that are actually the realistic dynamics of sexual assault. The presenter will review the difference between a false report vs. a baseless report and inconsistent statements vs. lying, as well as discuss how law enforcement can unintentionally create a false report themselves. Attendees will also learn how to effectively handle actual false reports.

Detective John Bair and author of Seeking the Truth from Mobile Evidence will take attendees through the various ways to prevent live mobile evidence contamination. This interactive lab will allow attendees to participate by employing various Faraday methods using their own network active phones and will address steps for the non-forensic first responder. Attendees will test various Faraday methods that can be applied to prevent altering or destruction of volatile mobile evidence. In doing so, they will learn how to validate a Faraday tool they decide to use when they return to work at their respective agencies. This lab will also assist with testimony during the judicial process regarding why they performed specific steps to prevent mobile evidential data from changing, altering, or being wiped remotely.

This workshop will offer perspectives on the contributions of advocates to fatality review teams. The presenter will explore advocates’ roles on teams, confidentiality concerns, and relationships with surviving family members. Examples from teams across the country of recommendations for improvements in victim services agencies will also be discussed.

The workshop will provide an overview of the philosophy, process, and principles of domestic violence fatality review. Key elements of the model will be explained along with core requirements for doing the work effectively. Examples from teams across the country will be noted and the work of the Montana Statewide Team and its Native American Fatality Review Team will be highlighted. Attendees will gain the tools necessary to begin the process of assembling a team in their community or expanding and reinvigorating the work of an existing team. Participants will understand the importance of confidentiality and its crucial role in the review process. Team membership, document gathering, reviewable cases, recommendations, and report writing will also be examined. Practical applications and system improvements related to the work will be identified.

Supervisors are responsible for creating and maintaining an environment that supports learning and growth for officers and treats victims with respect. This workshop will highlight effective ways to engage the first responder in order to address violence against women. Attendees will be exposed to methods of empowering and strengthening officers, innovative employee incentives and rewards, and other motivating techniques, as well as skills to mentor others on violence against women crimes.

Forced marriage is a serious problem in the United States that often results in physical, psychological, and sexual abuse and can intersect with other forms of harm including human trafficking, female genital mutilation, and child abuse. The first part of this workshop will provide an overview of the complex cultural and social dynamics surrounding forced marriage. Attendees will be given guidance and tools for identifying and screening individuals at risk of forced marriage and responding to survivors’ needs from a “consent comes first” framework, including analysis of the risk of being tricked or coerced into overseas travel and how to coordinate with U.S. consulates for victim-repatriation. An overview of the available forms of immigration, civil, and criminal legal remedies and support resources for individuals facing forced marriage will also be provided. The second part will review the distinctions and overlaps between forced marriage, arranged marriage, and child marriage. Discussion will include the ways that most state laws on minimum marriage age are at odds with statutory rape laws and leave loopholes for the abuse and exploitation, and how other state laws that limit minors’ rights and pose obstacles to help-seeking can actually facilitate forced marriages and/or trap at-risk youth in violent homes. Recent, U.S.-based research on the consequences of early marriage on the health, safety, and welfare of both individuals and families will be shared. Attendees will learn about a growing U.S. movement to reform minimum marriage age laws to improve protections for children, as well as other recent reforms to clarify child protective services mandates and expand access to protective orders.

The only difference between a fatal and a non-fatal strangulation can be the number of seconds of neck compression. The medical and forensic needs of non-fatal strangulation victims are often overlooked when there are no visible injuries or when the victims minimize their injuries.  Recent medical evidence has demonstrated that a strangulation victim may have sustained a life-threatening injury but appear normal and without any external evidence of trauma. This workshop will provide the medical and forensic foundation for police officers, prosecutors and medical professionals to investigate and understand the pathophysiology and medical consequences of strangulation.

The medical and scientific literature has repeatedly documented that the non-forensic healthcare provider has a miserable ability to correctly interpret gunshot wounds. Clinical physicians have a great deal of difficulty in correctly distinguishing between entrance and exit wounds. What are the reasons for these misinterpretations? Their opinions were based upon the size of the wound, not its physical characteristics. Physical characteristics will tell you if the wound is an entrance or exit, the range of fire, and if the injuries are consistent with the history given by the victim. To avoid the misinterpretation and misdiagnosis of gunshot wounds, police, nurses, physicians, and prosecutors need additional forensic training. The knowledge gained in this workshop will assist attendees in evaluation, diagnosis, investigation, and prosecution of gunshot wounds, including domestic and officer-involved shootings.

This workshop will focus on Forensic Experiential Trauma Review (FETI), which was designed to help eliminate any inadvertent inaccurate information from trauma victims following an incident. The technique has already proven to be a game changer in the investigation and prosecution of many forms of violence, including adult sexual abuse. Attendees will learn how the use of the FETI process in domestic violence cases is also extremely promising for increasing successful interventions, investigations, and prosecutions. This interview technique draws on the best practices of child forensic interviews, critical incident stress management, and neuroscience.

Gender-based violence prevention programming is an ever-evolving standard within high education. In 2016, the University of Kansas established and funded the Sexual Assault Prevention and Education Center to bring consistency and best practice to campus with gender based violence prevention efforts. This workshop will highlight the strategies and lessons learned in the implementation of the comprehensive Gender-Based Violence Prevention program utilizing the socioecological model and social justice frame work at a flagship institution.

This workshop will share findings and information from research with 105 Native women in Minnesota on their experiences of being used in prostitution and trafficking. It will include information on risk factors, health implications, needs of survivors, and recommendations.

Communication software, social media, and location services are increasingly used to stalk, harass, and terrorize. This workshop will examine the technologies most commonly misused in domestic violence cases and outline the process for gathering and admitting evidence of tech abuse. Attendees will learn about ethical issues related to online evidence collection, how to provide clients with the tools to assist in gathering evidence, and how to admit tech evidence in court.

At birth, gender is assigned based upon sex organs. Thus begins our unwitting attachment to a false dichotomy‚ male and female. Yet gender diversity has always existed; despite societal expectations of this binary, biology thrives on variation. Society struggles with gender variety, as noted by the disproportionately high rates of discrimination and violence against transgender (trans) persons. A 2013 report from the National Coalition of Anti-Violence Programs finds that of victims of anti-LGBT homicide, 72% were trans women and 62% were trans women of color. The NCAVP study also finds that, compared to cisgender persons, trans people of color were 6 times more likely to experience physical violence from police than that of white cisgender persons, and rates of sexual violence for trans persons are 170% higher. In this workshop, attendees will increase their gender expansive expertise with new knowledge and skills to better understand and work with transgender and gender nonconforming populations.

Treating victims of domestic violence at any stage in recovery is complex. This workshop will discuss the three-layered Genesis Trauma Approach, which can be applied in most clinical settings. It includes: The Transtheoretical Model of Change for Persons Affected by Domestic Violence, the Genesis Foundational Cognitive Model, and use of the Adaptive Information Processing model including Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). This workshop will include: capitalizing on the inherent strengths of survivors of abuse, recognizing where a client is in the stages of change, basic education and therapeutic information that each clinical program should have, and the way that EMDR fits in a clinical approach to working with victims of domestic violence.

Responding to Requests for Proposals (RFPs) is part of most agencies’ tasks. Based on 46 years of successfully competing for grant funding (with a 99% success rate), the presenter will share simple steps he uses to ensure his proposals are well received. Developing unique responses within a systematic approach greatly enhances the chance of being awarded grant funding. Through the use of actual proposal examples, attendees will learn 12 steps that enhance award prospects. When and how to effectively use checklists, tables, call outs, and stylistic formatting to help the reviewer understand projects will also be covered.

This workshop will explore the difference between bias and prejudice and how personal and institutional biases impact services to communities of color. Attendees will discuss how VAWA has improved services to communities of color in the past 20 years and what still needs to be done to improve the justice system response and advocacy services for battered women of color. Attendees will identify reasons why survivors of color do not rely on the civil and criminal justice systems and/or may not access mainstream advocacy services. Attendees will identify personal and institutional biases that are barriers to service for women of color.

Faith communities are in a unique position to reach victims and perpetrators of domestic violence. They are sitting in church or synagogue every weekend. Many victims want their faith community to strengthen and counsel them, but many clergy are blind to the problem or how to respond. Creative, positive responses are possible with little effort. Attendees will learn how some faith communities are already responding and how they can improve their own communities’ response to domestic violence.

Victims of sexual assault are often advised to complete a medical forensic exam and sexual assault kit (SAK) to preserve physical evidence to aid in the investigation and prosecution of the crime. Testing these kits and uploading eligible DNA profiles into CODIS (Combined DNA Index System), the federal criminal DNA database, may help identify suspected serial sexual offenders. This workshop will review how CODIS hits and criminal history records can be used to identify suspected serial perpetrators. Research findings and case studies from Detroit’s untested rape kits will be presented.

The job of anti-violence professionals is hard and more critical than ever; sexual violence is an epidemic, and it’s crucial that we are armed with the best tools to change culture. We are facing myth, misinformation, negative attitudes, and victim-blaming. Understanding how to overcome these phenomena starts with understanding the phenomena themselves. Practitioners can only enact best practices when they understand their audiences and their barriers to learning the material and changing their often long-held beliefs. Overcoming those barriers is critical for anti-violence professionals to succeed in spreading our messaging. This workshop will give an overview of best prevention education practices for creating compelling programs and changing negative attitudes. It will be followed by a facilitated lecture on the most common reasons people blame victims and how to dismantle those arguments through an application of myth-busting logic. Attendees will receive the tools they need to create powerful prevention programming.

To properly understand the dynamics of trafficking and the impact on the community, it is important to hear from the victims and survivors. This workshop will address the most frequently asked questions of survivors and allow for audience interaction with a panel of trafficking survivors who will provide insight into their victimization, how traffickers exert control, and successful strategies for intervention and recovery.

The response to human trafficking is filled with a wide range of often disparate efforts; law enforcement, victim services, community-based organizations, and others are working within the same community, but out of sync with each other. The truth is that human trafficking cannot be effectively addressed by one professional sector, or by a single organization; success can only be found by working together in the framework of a multidisciplinary task force. This workshop will examine how successful human trafficking task forces are formed, sustained, and funded. Key task force membership, collaborative decision-making, and creating a task force structure that can involve other anti-trafficking activists and organizations will be addressed. This workshop is appropriate for anyone already involved in a collaborative response to trafficking, or looking to form or enhance an existing task force or coalition.

Join the Joyful Heart Foundation for a screening of Mariska Hargitay’s new HBO documentary, I AM EVIDENCE, which highlights the backlog of hundreds of thousands of untested rape kits across the United States. The film explores how the justice system serves survivors by providing firsthand accounts from four women about their assaults and the hours, weeks, months, and years following their evidence collection. Stay after the screening to participate in a  discussion and Q&A session with a panel of experts about the state of the untested rape kit backlog in our country and what can be done to end it.

This workshop will offer an overview of immigration law with a focus on options available to victims of violence. Topics covered will be family-based immigration, U and T visas, VAWA, asylum, and special immigrant juvenile visas. Attendees are encouraged to come with questions, as plenty of time will be dedicated to Q&A!

Felony statutes recognizing the lethality and seriousness of strangulation assaults have been passed in the majority of states. Stiffer laws recognize the gravity of this form of violence and its ability to predict future homicides, both for domestic violence victims and police officers. However, the criminal justice system has failed to implement necessary protocols or training to provide police officers guidance to investigate and collect the unique evidence necessary to hold these violent offenders accountable. As a result, many cases are rejected for prosecution and law enforcement is left without guidance. Attendees will learn to overcome common challenges strangulation presents, including lack of external injury, lack of victim, and missed and misunderstood evidence. This workshop will walk police and first responders through the implementation of the Strangulation Supplement and provide tips on how to conduct a quality strangulation investigation.

In Her Shoes is a simulation experience designed for attendees to experience firsthand the hurdles and roadblocks that a survivor of domestic violence faces in her life. A powerful community education tool, this workshop was developed in 2000 by the Washington Coalition on Domestic Violence. Attendees will build empathy and understanding for the realities that a survivor faces in trying to live a life free from violence and abuse.

In Her Shoes: Economic Justice is a simulation experience designed for attendees to experience firsthand the hurdles and roadblocks that a survivor of domestic violence faces in her life and how those barriers are compounded by economic difficulties. A powerful community education tool, this was developed in 2000 by the Washington Coalition on Domestic Violence. Participants will build empathy and understanding for the realities that a survivor faces in trying to live a life free from violence and abuse.

In Her Shoes: Teen Dating Violence is a simulation experience designed for attendees to experience firsthand the hurdles and roadblocks that teen survivor of domestic and dating violence face. A powerful community education tool, this workshop was developed in 2000 by the Washington Coalition on Domestic Violence. Participants will build empathy and understanding for the realities that teen survivors face in trying to live a life free from violence and abuse.

During an investigation of intimate partner violence, one often overlooked area is post-arrest communication between victims, suspects, and friends and family members of suspects. Because of the intimate relationship, communication often continues throughout the process of the investigation, including after charges are filed and court hearings are underway. This workshop will explain how post-arrest communications can provide valuable evidence during the course of an investigation. It will also consider the implications of these strategies for cases involving human trafficking and elder abuse. The presenters will discuss practical tools and tips for obtaining post-arrest communications, including programs that can help to locate additional witnesses. Attendees will also explore how the content of post-arrest communications can be used to corroborate or impeach statements and testimony.

Domestic violence calls are inherently challenging for responding officers, and the relationship between perpetrators of domestic violence and officers killed in the line of duty is indisputable. Based on principles presented in the Department of Justice guidance Identifying & Preventing Gender Bias in Law Enforcement Response to Sexual Assault & Domestic Violence, this workshop will explore agency efforts that can help increase officer safety when responding to calls for service. It is imperative that responding officers better understand perpetrators of domestic violence and the control tactics used on victims and law enforcement. The presenters will highlight effective agency policies and procedures that should be in place to ensure that domestic violence complaints are properly documented, cases are fully investigated, and offenders are held accountable. Thoroughly investigating these calls can increase safety for victims and responding officers, as well as officers who may later return to the scene.

This workshop will discuss courtroom etiquette, exceptions to the hearsay rules, and forfeiture by wrongdoing in domestic violence cases. Attendees will testify in mock trial under direct- and cross-examination. Presenter-led assessments and additional techniques will be discussed after each exercise.

Attendees will watch a live role play of a domestic violence incident and be put in the shoes of the responding officers on the scene. Attendees will also interact with and interview the parties related to the incident, including the reporting person. In addition, the presenters will complete a crime scene investigation of the incident.

Many cases of violence against women are unwitnessed and/or present little physical evidence. Nationwide, officers have been trained (formally and informally) to disclose evidence and appeal to a suspect’s “best interest” to confess: a strategy that research has shown underperforms and is ineffective in cases with little evidence. The challenge has been compounded by case law that continues to restrict what an officer can say to suspects, often highlighted in high profile false confession cases. In order to gain a “slight edge”, this workshop will examine the interrogation landscape of the U.S., including deficiencies in current training; what the release of the federally funded research of the High Value Detainee Interrogation group should mean to you; how researched sales and marketing techniques can aid investigations; and how adopting an evidence-based process of interview and interrogation can increase our ability to get confession evidence.

A lack of procedural justice in domestic violence cases can have deadly consequences for victims and their families. This interactive workshop will discuss how collaboration among key players at the intersection of procedural justice and domestic violence is crucial to setting up a dedicated domestic violence docket. Attendees will be able to: identify the basic components of procedural justice; discuss how procedural justice can reduce recidivism in domestic violence cases; and explain the crucial role of collaboration in setting up a dedicated domestic violence docket. The presenters will share their personal experience of creating and running domestic violence dockets to highlight suggested collaborators, protocols, pitfalls, and best practices. Attendees will have the opportunity to discuss ideas and potential strategies to create a domestic violence docket in their own jurisdictions.

Perpetrators of stalking and domestic violence are often ahead of the curve on the use of technology and are using it to facilitate abuse and harm against survivors. Understanding how technology is misused is crucial to both supporting victims and holding offenders accountable. This workshop will illustrate the safety risks of various technologies. Presenters will discuss ways technology is misused to stalk, abuse, or harass survivors; how service providers can help victims assess the abuse that’s happening; and offer suggestions on how to document or investigate technology-facilitated abuse.

This workshop is appropriate not only for law enforcement officers, but for civilians as well. Attendees will be introduced to situations they may encounter in their work and personal life and be introduced to “what if” active threat scenarios. The presenter will talk about certain successes in recent mass casualty events, such as controlling external bleeding with improvised or manufactured tourniquets. The techniques and tools recommended for various injury scenarios will address treating life threatening injuries in an environment with limited equipment, possible lack of medically trained personnel, and an unknown medical evacuation time period.

THIS WORKSHOP IS RESTRICTED TO ACTIVE LAW ENFORCEMENT.
“How deep does the rabbit hole go?” In this introductory workshop to the Deep Web and Dark Net, attendees will learn about the dark side of the internet, including spy networks, human trafficking, and other illicit activities. See the side of the internet that most people have only heard of in movies and on television. Attendees will also receive a live demonstration and education on how to access the Dark Net.

“How deep does the rabbit hole go?” In this introductory workshop to the Deep Web and Dark Net, attendees will learn about the dark side of the internet, including spy networks, human trafficking, and other illicit activities. See the side of the internet that most people have only heard of in movies and on television. (There is a separate version of this class for active law enforcement.)

Persons with disabilities are often particularly vulnerable to sexual victimization by offenders who are willing to exploit those disabilities. Such victims also face a myriad of issues and unique challenges when encountering the justice system; their disabilities may impact participation in a criminal investigation and testimony at trial. This workshop will prepare law enforcement officers, investigators, and prosecutors to anticipate issues regarding victim support and communication, investigation, and prosecution; to develop strategies that take into account the victim’s disability; to focus on offender exploitation of victim vulnerability; and to consider appropriate sentencing options.

This workshop will address issues investigators and prosecutors face in intoxicated sexual assault cases. Facing high hurdles such as the “consent defense”, victims with memory loss, “he said, she said”, and delayed reporting make these cases some of the most difficult to investigate and prosecute, even more so than homicides. Understanding the victim and how these crimes occur is half the battle; getting the case into the courtroom is the other half. Attendees will learn the dynamics of intoxicated sexual assault cases and strategies for successfully moving them through the criminal justice system.

This workshop will be taught by an investigator and prosecutor. It will discuss the necessary paradigm shift needed when investigating domestic violence cases, knowing that the victim’s full participation will be unlikely at trial. This workshop will cover specific methods of evidence gathering and corroboration, followed by trial preparation and presentation with that evidence assuming the victim will not be a witness for the State. Evidence gathering after the arrest, as related to forfeiture by wrongdoing, will also be discussed.

This workshop provides attendees with an opportunity to learn about providing justice & closure to victims in past sexual assault cases. When examining the case facts through new eyes, technology, and science, including the neurobiology of trauma and interviewing, attendees will discover new energy in their investigative practice and insight into new and old cases. By engaging the Multi-Disciplinary Team approach, attendees will have allies in this important work. Victim advocacy is an underutilized resource in these cases and can be used to help reengage the victim. The presenter will take attendees through the reengagement of the victim years after their sexual assault case was closed and show where new perspectives and evidence could be found with a little tenacity and skill set.

Manufacturers are connecting everything to the Internet: fridges, cars, TVs, security cameras, even sex toys! Attendees will learn why and how almost everything is being woven into the Internet of Things (IoT) and how that affects survivor safety and privacy. The presenter will also look at other emerging technology and the implications for this type of work to increase survivor safety.

Arousal during sexual assault is possibly the most devastating aspect for the survivor. Rarely discussed in the literature and often not addressed clinically, it leads to lower levels of reporting and creates unnecessary barriers to investigation, prosecution, and conviction due to prevailing myths of what it means to orgasm during an assault. The presenter will dispel myths and prejudice towards these victims, discuss the neurobiology underlying fear and arousal, and provide investigators and prosecutors with tools and knowledge to turn the trauma of arousal into evidence supporting prosecution versus viewing arousal as evidence of consent. New data demonstrating arousal in sexual violence and the trauma it causes will be reviewed.

Join fellow law enforcement professionals for networking and an open discussion on current “hot topics” in your field.

The former Title IX Coordinator for Baylor University will talk about her experiences with the school’s sexual assault scandal. During her time at Baylor, Crawford worked with hundreds of sexual assault and intimate partner violence victims and survivors. Although she improved Baylor’s Title IX policies and procedures, she ultimately filed an official complaint with the Office for Civil Rights and resigned her position. This workshop will focus on her experiences with the hope of helping other institutions with their responses to gender and relationship violence.

This workshop will guide attendees through the legal authority and methods for managing liability using existing case law of “failure to protect” suits. At the conclusion of this workshop, attendees will have a detailed understanding of the dangerousness, complexity, and liability risk of domestic/sexual violence.

Obtaining a conviction in a sexual assault or domestic violence case is usually a hard-won victory, whether by guilty plea or by trial. Though the appellate process is unavoidable, a prosecutor can bring a measure of finality to the criminal justice process by carefully building a strong and favorable trial court record that supports the conviction and the sentence imposed and withstands challenge on appeal. This workshop will discuss the proper creation and protection of the record during all phases of a criminal case, focusing on directing the investigation to maximize admissible evidence at trial, strategic charging that will minimize evidentiary obstacles, pretrial motions and briefing to ensure the court makes the correct rulings on the record, avoiding prosecutorial misconduct in summation, seeking appropriate jury instructions, and placing essential facts on the record at the time of pleas and sentencing.

Join fellow medical professionals for networking and an open discussion on current “hot topics” in your field.

This workshop will allow attendees an opportunity to complete a fatality review experience. Attendees will serve as members of multidisciplinary teams as they review an actual case: building a timeline, identifying red flags, highlighting agency involvement, and coming up with recommendations.

The tactics and justifications used by men who batter change with time and are influenced by cultural trends. Compared to abusers of 25 years ago, the modern batterer is much more likely to use high-tech means of surveillance and control of his partner; use the child custody system as a tactic of continued cruelty and abuse to women and their children; present himself as a sensitive, caring, “gentle” man who is “in touch with his feelings” and/or is spiritual; misuse social system against his partner (such as by having her arrested, reporting her to CPS, and other tactics); and exert his influence to skew public policy and research. This workshop explores the trends in these areas and provides suggestions for constructive response.

The enormous exercise of power involved in a prosecutor’s charging decision was described by Justice Robert H. Jackson as “the most dangerous power of the prosecutor”. How is this power wielded when it comes to sexual assault cases? The guidelines on prosecutorial discretion in charging are minimal. Prosecutors rely on a combination of legally relevant and irrelevant variables in determining whether to bring charges. The standard often cited by prosecutors is “would a jury in my jurisdiction convict?” This standard often leads to charging decisions that are led by gender bias and stereotypes. Should prosecutors challenge those stereotypes by filing charges that challenge sexual assault stereotypes, even if the jury is likely to acquit? Is a new charging standard emerging from investigations into gender bias? Attendees will be better able to identify standards for charging that eliminate gender bias.

Assisting a student in the aftermath of a sexual assault can be daunting, especially if they decide to report on campus and to the police. This workshop will explore the intersection of survivors’ rights as crime victims and students, as well as how university professionals and advocates can best help a survivor navigate these two different worlds. Based on their experiences representing victims of crime in both criminal and on-campus processes, the presenters will provide examples of how these worlds intersect and sometimes come into conflict. The goal of this workshop is to provide attendees with the tools, information, and resources to support student-survivors on and off campus, including how to create professional partnerships with community organizations.

This workshop will provide a brief overview of cutting edge brain science research, which is informing our understanding and improving our responses to victims of domestic and sexual violence. What can seem like counter-intuitive responses by victims and survivors are better understood when you learn that “the brain is doing what the brain does” when trauma is experienced.

Exploring the historical view of domestic and sexual violence within the police family will enable attendees to gain insight into the lack of accurate statistics, the unique characteristics of conducting investigations, nationally established standards for recruiting, training, and corrective discipline, and the continued need for implementation of policy.

Join representatives from the Office on Violence Against Women for a discussion on current federal funding opportunities. Attendees are encouraged to bring questions about grant applications, reporting, and other funding-related issues.

Protective Orders do not just protect victims; they are becoming increasingly effective tools for law enforcement and courts to identify and track perpetrators, sometimes even before a criminal case has been filed. They also provide a means for monitoring offender compliance and enforcing violations. Attendees will learn how the Texas legislature has enhanced state laws and the innovative ways the Dallas County District Attorney’s Office has expanded the use of Protective Orders to serve a greater population of victims. Whether attendees provide services to victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, stalking, human trafficking, or child abuse and neglect, they will be enlightened and gain insight on the Power of Protective Orders. For attendees working outside of Texas, this workshop will be a thought-provoking session on how Protective Orders can be best utilized regardless of differences in demographics or legal systems in their area.

This workshop will assist prosecutors and investigators who are tackling human trafficking cases, from initial investigation to post-conviction. A team approach between prosecutors, law enforcement, and victim advocates allows for simultaneous goals of rescuing victims and prosecuting their offenders to the fullest extent. Attendees will learn how to work together to investigate cases involving trafficking and gather the evidence necessary to make a successful case. Charging decisions, trial preparation, accomplice testimony, defense strategies, and witness preparation will be discussed, as well as working with trafficking victims to prepare them for trial.

Join fellow prosecutors for networking and an open discussion on current “hot topics” in your field.

Ujima, Inc.: The National Resource Center on Violence in the Black Community will host two informal lunchtime listening sessions with law enforcement officers who would like to engage in a dialogue about the help-seeking challenges Black survivors experience and the challenges law enforcement officers experience in responding to domestic violence in the Black community.  Ujima, Inc. will use these conversations as a springboard to create culturally responsive approaches based on mutual respect and effective communication.

This workshop will offer an in depth look at how immigration law affects undocumented victims of violence. The first half of the workshop will be dedicated to an advanced discussion of immigration applications for victims of violence (U and T visas, VAWA, asylum, and special immigrant juvenile visas). One area of focus will be the difference between VAWA and U visas, and how to determine which option would be best for a victim of domestic violence. The second half of the session will be a discussion of how recent changes in immigration enforcement policy under the Trump Administration affect undocumented immigrant victims of crime in the U.S.

Web-enabled devices are part of the modern world, but technology also has a “dark side” that often goes unnoticed. Attendees will join a cyber crime analyst as he talks about the technical problems and risks everyone faces each time they log into their computer, use their phone, or use a credit card in public. Regardless of one’s technical expertise (or lack thereof), attendees will walk away from this workshop understanding cyber-stalking, identify theft, ATM skimming, cross-site scripting, spyware, and malware. More importantly, attendees will know what to do to protect themselves from these threats.

Working with experts can provide prosecutors with vital assistance throughout a human trafficking case. Human trafficking investigations are complex; professionals with expertise can not only provide testimony at trial, but can also provide guidance to help identify and work with victims, analyze evidence, make charging decisions, and prepare for trial. At trial, experts provide valuable context to assist fact-finders in understanding evidence, dynamics of trafficking, and the range of individual responses to trauma. This workshop focuses on working with a variety of human trafficking experts to identify, understand, and explain trafficking dynamics and victim responses to trauma. Presenters will discuss how to identify facts, dynamics, and circumstances that may benefit from explanation at trial; finding appropriate experts; deciding whether to introduce expert testimony; evidence rules and related law governing admissibility of expert testimony; qualifying experts; and presenting expert’s testimony at trial.

Whether looking at the problem of sexual assault on college campuses or the reports of sexual violence connected to high profile individuals, the question “How can this happen?” is as urgent and relevant as ever. This workshop will provide a definition for rape culture as a concept and offer a balanced look at the arguments currently being made for and against the usefulness of this concept when trying to understand the epidemic of sexual violence in our country.

Religious texts and teaching serve as either a roadmap or roadblock to the development of a healthy understanding of what it means to be female. Unfortunately, because of the Virus of Patriarchal Privilege (VPP), many women are indoctrinated with an unhealthy theology of womanhood, a way of thinking about their gender as problematic, and a belief that God made them inferior to males. This workshop will explore how the theological perspectives of Early Church Fathers have contributed to the development of VPP and offer an alternative Healthy Theology of Womanhood.

This workshop will discuss how law enforcement can enhance the work of a multi-disciplinary domestic violence fatality review team. The presenter will specifically cover the dangers posed to first responders by those abusers who choose to go lethal; how law enforcement investigations can flush out the red flags of lethality and use that information to identify dangerous individuals in our communities; how a complete, comprehensive, and thorough investigation of domestic violence calls for service is valuable to a fatality review; and how law enforcement actually sets the stage for a productive domestic violence death review.

Are home or work networks truly secure? Can someone park down the street and use one’s Internet access? Is a neighbor using someone’s personal network to gain Internet access? This workshop will provide attendees with instructions on how to secure their router and change their Domain Name Server settings to one that is configurable, that will allow them to prevent people from accessing various pornography sites, gambling sites, etc. The presenter will also discuss how to limit what devices can access the Internet through one’s network, and see what devices are connected to a network at any given time.

Safety planning is a critical component in working with victims of violent crimes, and there is no “one size fits all” plan for every victim. Advocates must stand ready with relevant information, and a lot of creativity, to help a victim develop a plan that will work best for them. This workshop will allow attendees to openly discuss effective safety planning, practical tools, tips, and tricks to help victims create a safety plan for every stage of their journey toward a life free of violence. Presenters and attendees will exchange ideas and work together to creatively find ways to help victims increase their safety.

This workshop will focus on the impact of digital evidence from mobile devices, tablets, and other forms of technology. It is designed to provide the first responder, investigator, and investigative supervisor with information to improve their capacity and capabilities to conduct digital evidence preservation, collection, and analysis, as well as provide a better understanding of the role this type of digital evidence plays in the investigation. Attendees will learn how to properly seize, protect, and obtain analysis of these devices to assist in the investigation.

Everyone says they are working on prevention, but are you really? Prevention is different than awareness, it’s different than response, and it’s different than risk reduction. This session will examine the shift that needs to happen when we focus on preventing sexual violence and interpersonal violence.

Everyone should be familiar with sexual assault and domestic violence dynamics, but how can abuse also affect an elderly victim? As the five senses change throughout the lifespan, abuse can impact a patient on many levels. This workshop will educate attendees on the aging process and how those factors can impact an examination and/or interviewing techniques. It will explain how previous history, culture, and social media can change an elderly victim’s perception of abuse and assist the examiner in providing improved care to elderly victims of abuse.

In this workshop, law enforcement will learn how to best utilize Snapchat data for their investigations and how to encourage users to stay safe on the app.

Military personnel commit crimes off-post. Civilian family members are victimized on base. It may seem like chaos when military and civilian criminal justice worlds collide, but this cross-jurisdictional workshop will provide experienced prosecutors and investigators a comprehensive, analytical framework for deciding who can, and should, take the case. Through actual case examples, attendees will learn the key differences between the military and civilian criminal justice systems. Using a three-tiered approach, investigators and prosecutors alike will master techniques for reviewing a case that has multiple jurisdictional implications. Attendees will gain an understanding of how and why cross-jurisdictional cases land where they do so they can confidently advocate for or against jurisdiction in military-civilian intertwined criminal matters.

Have you ever felt frustrated while assisting a victim of domestic violence? Ever wondered why a victim does what she does, or doesn’t do what you suggested she should do? This workshop will explore the Transtheoretical Model of Change and how we can most effectively work with survivors as they move through the criminal justice system and their own stages of change: precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, maintenance, and termination. The presenters will discuss how victims understand their experiences, their thoughts regarding their ability to change based on what stage they are in, and how this can affect everything from the first report to the trial and beyond.

This workshop will define collaboration, examine the hurdles faced when multidisciplinary teams come together, and offer clear steps that attendees can take to improve their personal collaborative skills, as well as create a culture of collaborative engagement within organizations. This workshop is appropriate for those actively engaged in working with other professional sectors, inter-agency efforts, and with community-based organizations. It is also beneficial for agency and organization leaders who seek more effective collaborative efforts from their staff.

Laws being passed nationally recognize the danger and lethality of perpetrators who strangle their victims. While these statutes give prosecutors the ability to hold offenders more accountable, they are often stifled by their misunderstanding of the evidence. This workshop will explore how to strategically prosecute these offenders by providing tips on jury selection and trial approaches. The presenter will discuss how to recruit and develop medical experts to help juries understand this complicated crime, the overlap with sex crimes, and the effectiveness of prosecuting this offense with a trauma-informed perspective. Finally, this workshop will discuss how to overcome common defenses such as lack of external visible injury, rough sex, and “if she could talk she could breathe.”

Burnout affects millions of Americans each year and has been called “the disease of our civilization.” The unhappiness burnout causes can threaten jobs, relationships, and health. The presenter has personally experienced burnout, learned how to successfully overcome it, and went from “Burnout” to “On Fire!” He has taught thousands of people how to overcome Burnout. Attendees will learn the definition of Burnout and the symptoms thereof, but more importantly, they will be laughing and learning how to apply the F.I.N.G.E.R. philosophy to help themselves and their co-workers avoid or recover from Burnout.

Sex offenders present unique supervision issues for Probation and Parole. The combination of manipulation skills, splitting, control issues, and the public’s fear makes them challenging and often labor-intensive clients. In this workshop, attendees will explore approaches and tools to assist the Supervising Officer in managing this complex caseload.

In this workshop, the presenters will share different practices available to support immigrant survivors from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds obtain safety and legal protections. Utilizing case examples, the presenters will demonstrate how diverse stakeholders are able to work together to ensure that immigrant survivors who have experienced domestic violence, rape, trafficking, forced marriage, and/or female genital mutilation are able to access vital protections, such as Special Immigrant Juvenile Status, U visas,  T visas, VAWA (self-petitions, battered spouse waivers, cancellation of removal), and asylum.

This workshop will explore the challenges and barriers Black survivors experience when accessing services and justice from the criminal and civil legal system. Internal barriers and external barriers for Black survivors have real consequences on their safety, autonomy, and self-reliance; attendees will discuss solutions and strategies that may facilitate help seeking by Black survivors.

National Victim Recovery Network of D.C. case managers are full-time crisis advocates that, in addition to providing crisis intervention, work to empower survivors throughout their recovery. Having worked with survivors from the eight colleges and universities, they have seen first-hand the importance of a coordinated effort with all of the stakeholders in a college student’s health and well-being. In this workshop, the presenters will discuss the intricacies and importance of medical, campus, law enforcement, and community-based organizations coming together in support of a survivor’s goals.

What can Department of Justice investigations on gender bias in sexual assault investigation and prosecution teach society? Specifically, what are the results of the first-ever investigation of a prosecutor’s office? This workshop will explore insights from and implications of DOJ findings for prosecutors, advocates, and collaborative teams. As a result of this workshop, attendees will be better able to: identify problematic investigative and prosecutorial practices in the handling of sexual assault cases; understand the gender bias, both implicit and explicit, that underlies problematic practices; identify ways prosecutors, advocates, and other system change leaders can use DOJ guidance as a catalyst for change in their office and system-wide; and apply the information to identify opportunities to detect and address gaps in their local response system.

What impact does trauma have on the investigation, prosecution, and decisions made by the trier of fact in violent crime? What is its place in determining whether a report of a crime is taken seriously, documented, investigated, or prosecuted? Sometimes, information reported by the victim just doesn’t seem to make sense and is often misinterpreted as reasonable doubt. However, if properly understood and translated, such evidence can be valuable. The presenters will provide information about common “red flags” and discuss strategies to enable a better analysis of these complex cases.

This workshop will discuss examples of successful collaboration by stressing the importance of the press and collaborative relationships between the entire multi-disciplinary team. The presenters will provide ideas for multi-disciplinary inclusion that some departments may not have considered in the past, like legislators, and how they can have a positive lasting impact. This form of collaboration has helped to change statutes, promote victim-centric investigations, raise awareness in the community, and increase reporting.

Between the ages of 16-24, girls experience intimate partner violence at almost 3 times the national average. Knowing the nuances of teen dating violence and being able to share this information with teenagers is an imperative part of prevention work and ending the cycle of domestic violence. This workshop will detail specific common abusive behaviors in teen relationships, discuss practical ways to talk about dating violence with teenagers, and explore how to respond to incidents of teen dating violence in a protective and effective manner.

This entertaining workshop will present details about effectively communicating the results of the comprehensive investigation in police reports and broader media. The presenters will provide examples of how effective communication and appropriate terminology fulfill DOJ’s Gender Bias Principle 2, Treat All Victims with Respect & Employ Interviewing Tactics That Encourage a Victim to Participate & Provide Facts About the Incident, and Principle 3, Investigate Sexual Assault or Domestic Violence Complaints Thoroughly & Effectively. Attendees will learn how to accurately present details of the crime using victim-centered terminology and language. By conducting stronger interviews and writing more accurate reports free of gender bias, responding officers can better provide victims with needed services and referrals, present comprehensive cases that recreate the reality of the crime and are more likely to move forward to hold offenders accountable, and increase the safety of the community.

Join representatives from the Texas Office of the Governor’s Criminal Justice Division (CJD) for a discussion on current funding opportunities in Texas. Attendees are encouraged to bring questions about grant applications, reporting, and other funding-related issues.

This workshop will provide information and tools to recognize and understand how specific apps might be misused by abusers. The presenter will also answer common questions about current popular apps.

In this follow-up workshop, the presenter will discuss what steps survivors can take to safely use apps and increase their safety and privacy. The workshop will also give an overview of considerations for the development of apps for survivors.

This workshop will focus on the Clery Annual Security Report. Participants will be led through a breakdown of Clery geography, the misclassification of crime statistics, and missing policy statements that can weaken a report. The second portion will switch focus from Clery compliance to Title IX Compliance.

Join fellow tribal professionals for networking and an open discussion on current “hot topics” in your field.

Offenders are misusing an array of technologies and online spaces in domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking cases. In order to help survivors to be safe and hold offenders accountable, individuals need to understand what they are doing. Helpful for criminal justice professionals as well as service providers, this workshop will discuss how offenders misuse technology, how survivors can document the abuse, and how law enforcement can collect evidence and pursue cases.

In this interactive workshop, attendees will explore cultural norms and values of Latin@ families and communities. Attendees will also examine effective practices for working with Latin@ communities and explore the diversity, resiliency, and strength of Latin@ communities in the United States. Through various scenarios, the presenter will engage attendees in developing strategies for working with Latin@ survivors of gender-based violence and their families. This workshop will also explore barriers experienced by Latin@ survivors when accessing mainstream victim services and the impact of immigration issues.

Victims of sexual assault are often advised to have a medical forensic exam (MFE) and sexual assault kit (SAK) (also termed a rape kit) to preserve physical evidence (e.g., semen, blood, and/or saliva samples) to aid in the investigation and prosecution of the crime. Law enforcement are tasked with submitting the SAK to a forensic laboratory for DNA analysis, which can be instrumental in identifying offenders in previously-unsolved crimes, confirming identify in known-offender assaults, discovering serial rapists, and exonerating individuals wrongly accused. However, a growing number of media stories, investigative advocacy projects, and social science studies indicate that police are not routinely submitting SAKs for forensic testing; instead the kits are placed in evidence storage, sometimes for decades. This workshop will examine the growing national problem of untested rape kits by summarizing current research on the number of untested SAKs in the U.S. and exploring the underlying reasons why police do not submit this evidence for DNA testing. Recommendations for future research, policy, and practice will be discussed.

This workshop will focus on the cognitive set of the intrafamilial and “position of trust” sex offender. The presenter will expand and clarify elements of investigation, prosecution, and effective containment and discuss sex offenders’ perceptions, ideation, grooming strategies, and cognitive processes. The impact of the Internet and the offenders’ digital behavior will be explored and explained. Attendees will leave this workshop with a new understanding of sex offenders, their thoughts, and digital behaviors which will enhance the ability to investigate, prosecute, supervise and treat sex offenders.

This workshop will cover the most up-to-date information regarding the enforcement of Title IX. The presenter will also address the latest changes, as well as a discussion of other potential changes from the U.S. Department of Education.

Forensic Nurses must be prepared to interact competently and knowledgeably with the legal system, and testify in courts of law, typically as experts, regarding their examinations and findings. Prosecutors utilizing such expertise must understand the role of the forensic nurse and how best to elicit an expert opinion on the witness stand. This workshop will address preparation and interaction from both perspectives (prosecutor and forensic nurse), proper interaction with adverse attorneys, how to develop and prepare compelling testimony, and tips for testifying itself.

The National Institute of Justice (NIJ) is home to the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs), which brings together law enforcement, medical examiners, coroners, forensic experts, families, and the public to help resolve missing and unidentified person cases throughout the Nation, including American Indian and Alaska Native tribes and villages. NamUs provides criminal justice users a secure, online system to store, share, and compare sensitive case information, as well as a public component allowing family members and other public stakeholders to report cases and participate in the search for potential matches. The presenters will discuss how to use NamUS efficiently and effectively, as well as new research being done to better understand the issue of missing and unidentified American Indian and Alaska Native women and how NamUS can be used to enhance future prevention and intervention efforts.

Using video in domestic violence cases is an evidence-based prosecution practice that is growing in use. Video recorded victim statements provide a visual representation of the scene for law enforcement and inform prosecutorial decision making. This workshop will describe the use of video in El Paso, TX, where the practice has been underway for five years. The presenters will also share the findings of a recent evaluation of the impact of video in three Texas jurisdictions, which showed promising evidence for increasing law enforcement investigative capacity, prosecutorial readiness, and case outcomes. Implementation strategies will also be discussed.

This workshop will critically examine the use of risk assessment tools in domestic violence cases by law enforcement. The presenters will use examples from the implementation of ODARA in Maine and the Lethality Assessment Protocol (LAP) across the country to discuss the pros and cons of each of these tools.

Voir dire is the most overlooked and underrated aspect of criminal prosecution, and yet it is the space where complicated and problematic victim cases are won and lost. This workshop will focus on the art and practice of jury selection, the presentation of a case strategy and perspective through discussion and hypotheticals, and most importantly the way to transform a case’s weaknesses into strengths. The presenter will teach how to effectively perform jury selection. Attendees will learn to prepare a jury to accept wounded witnesses and investigative failings, to understand the worst and still find a way to see the truth of a case. Attendees will actively engage as venire members in a human trafficking jury selection in order to see the tools put into practice.

It is imperative that sexual assault advocates and law enforcement work together to ensure survivors receive the best possible services and have no needs left unattended. No single agency can achieve this goal alone. This workshop will provide attendees a look into the advantages of a coordinated and cooperative working relationship by outlining differing perspectives, establishing shared goals, and describing the power behind having a unified front against sexual violence. The presenter will discuss the common mistakes advocates and law enforcement make when interacting with each other and suggest ways to improve community advocate and law enforcement interactions for the betterment of sexual assault survivors.

Join us for a screening of the feature film Wind River, which follows the investigation of the murder of a young Native American woman. The film portrays the challenges that law enforcement face when investigating crimes in Indian Country. Stay after the screening to participate in a panel discussion and Q&A session with tribal experts from the Bureau of Indian Affairs, FBI, and US Department of Justice.

This case study of the assault of a 17-year-old girl by her boss at a pizza parlor will take attendees from the time of the initial report through her examination, advocacy, and trial. The presenters will review how each component affected the case, from interviews of witnesses to suspect examination and beyond. Advocacy was a key component in how the victim felt she was treated and how each turn affected her life and recovery. The presenters will discuss the good and bad of this case; it may not have ended in the outcome everyone wanted, but it was the outcome desired by the victim.

On April 27, 2016, Grand Prairie police received a 911 call from Jaelon Marcus. Jaelon told the 911 operator that his brother, Anthony Marcus, had shot his girlfriend. When police arrived, they found the lifeless body of Florencia Padilla, who had been kidnapped at gunpoint by Anthony one month prior, with two gunshots to the head. This case study will chronicle the escalation of violence and control mechanisms of an abuser over a span of 11 months. Attendees will study the different instances that the system could have intervened to save Florencia Padilla, the role that an obsession with guns played, and what we can do to education victims at all ages.

Two teenage girls from opposite sides of the United States think they’ve found men who truly care for them. Instead, the men are carefully luring Rebecca Bender and Bekah Charleston into the world of human trafficking, in which they’re forced, frauded, and coerced into prostitution. Years later, Federal Investigator Mark Parsons and U.S. Attorney Andrew Stover receive a tip on a potential drug case, or is it bank fraud, or tax evasion? The investigation uncovered the covert human trafficking ring that spanned across the country. When none of the victims will talk, the case takes a turn and hind sight is always twenty-twenty. This case study will invite attendees to learn from all four parties involved on the detailed grooming tactics employed to brainwash the victims and lessons learned on what did and didn’t work during the investigation and prosecution.

For 5 years, Glen Dukes preyed upon the drug-addicted women engaged in prostitution on the east side of San Antonio. Once they had been persuaded to join Team Glen, they were beaten, choked, drugged, raped, and regularly threatened with death. Glen controlled every aspect of their lives, including their food, sleep, clothing, hair, and nails. When that control seemed threatened, Glen murdered several women and forced his team to help clean and dispose of the bodies as yet another way to bind them to him. This case study will provide attendees with insight into how to try trafficking cases where the victims were prostituting before and after the trafficking, highlight the wide range of coercive tactics used by traffickers and unique trial issues when dealing with adult sex trafficking, and discuss the use of the continuous trafficking charge to ultimately bring a killer to justice.

For three years, the Polywood Crips pimped out numerous women and girls in Fort Worth, TX. They used rape, beatings, and death threats to scare their victims into staying, requiring them to bring in thousands of dollars a day, while bragging about their “business” on social media as a way to recruit new victims. Within weeks of learning about this group’s activities from a 16 year-old’s mom, federal and local law enforcement sprung to action. In less than a year, with numerous cooperative victims, nine members had been charged and convicted of sex trafficking-related offenses.  This case study will address the challenges of gang sex trafficking investigations, including gaining victim cooperation, obtaining key evidence, and addressing witness intimidation. In addition, it will cover prosecutorial challenges such as preparing sex trafficking victims for trials and navigating pimp plea negotiations.

After being arrested on a warrant for assaulting his pregnant girlfriend, Malcolm Lahori was released from jail and returned to his girlfriend’s house with a no contact order in his hand. Lahori was angry that he had been arrested. He forced his way into her home, attempted to strangle her in the bathroom, and then waterboarded her in the bathtub. A neighbor called the police, who promptly responded and arrested Lahori. Minutes after arriving at the jail, Lahori called his girlfriend several times–threatening, manipulating, and attempting to control her. Lahori was subsequently brought to trial. His girlfriend did not appear despite receiving a subpoena; Lahori was nonetheless convicted, with only the testimony of police officers. This case study will show how a thorough police investigation can allow the prosecution to hold an offender accountable without victim cooperation under the legal theory of Forfeiture by Wrongdoing.

During this case study of the abduction and murder of Casey Jo Pipestem, a 19-year-old Seminole Indian from Oklahoma, attendees will be given a glimpse into the world of truck stops, truck drivers, and prostitutes. The presenter will examine six serial killer truck drivers, including John Robert Williams, Casey’s killer. Williams is responsible for the murders of more than a dozen women, and that number continues to grow. Investigation strategies, obstacles, and lessons learned will be discussed, as well as resources and contacts at the federal level.

After being unconscious for an unknown amount of time, Stacey was found beaten and swollen, laying by a horse pen, with only the memory of being punched in the face. She regained no additional memory of the events that caused her to lose her balance and slur her speech. Those caring for Stacey followed their instinct that she had been strangled, and with no external injury or testimony from the victim to corroborate this theory, the nurse, investigator, and prosecutor successfully collaborated to investigate and prosecute this case. Survivors often lose their memories as a result of trauma and lack of oxygen to the brain, and instead of doubting credibility, this common reality can add value and evidence. This case study will inspire agencies to work together in a new way to bring the most evil of perpetrators, those who strangle, to justice.

The criminal justice system faces major and complex challenges to ensure that equal justice is afforded to all those who come into contact with the system as victims and witnesses. One significant challenge is to recognize and support survivors of crime who communicate in a non-typical manner. This case study will follow the sexual assault case of a 16-year-old girl with cerebral palsy and significant speech disability throughout the investigation, the prosecution led by three different ADAs at different times, and an appeal to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court that allowed a speech pathologist to be recognized as a court-appointed translator for a survivor with progressive multiple sclerosis.

Released on bail after a vicious attack on his wife, Edward Campbell’s quest for revenge left three dead, two police officers wounded, and a son serving a life prison sentence. Through the lens of Campbell’s murderous crime spree, participants will explore the operational threat assessment protocols and innovative intervention strategies developed at one of the largest academic medical centers in the US. The presenter will also discuss on-going challenges and strategies to prevent, mitigate, and/or neutralize emerging threats to medical campuses.  

In early 2015, FBI Miami received information that Kenneth Chatman, an operator of multiple South Florida substance abuse recovery centers, was engaged in the sex trafficking and exploitation of his female clients in his residences in Palm Beach and Broward counties. As Chatman was already on the FBI’s radar as a target of a health care fraud (HCF) investigation, Special Agents in Palm Beach County pooled resources to bring Chatman and his associates to justice in a first-of-its-kind federal case involving both HCF and sex trafficking violations. This case study will focus on Chatman’s use of physical violence, fear, isolation, and dependency tactics to manipulate and exploit some of society’s most vulnerable individuals: struggling addicts that traveled to Florida with hopes of recovery.

This case study will explore the large-scale investigation, prosecution, and trial of a gang rape that occurred on the campus of Vanderbilt University. The presenters will discuss the successes and pitfalls they encountered throughout four major trials that gained national attention.

This case study will detail the investigation of a serial and savage sexual predator that viciously assaulted, robbed, and murdered his victims. One victim was found lying in pool of her own blood behind a building in Killeen, Texas, left for dead. The victim was transported to the hospital for a forensic exam, which resulted in DNA collection that connected this predator to several rapes, robberies, serious assaults, and murder across two states. The presenters will discuss the medical aspect of the sexual assault exam and how law enforcement was able to build community trust and track a serial predator with the help of a forensic nurse, a brave woman, and a mother who refused to let her daughter’s murder go unsolved.

Alcohol & drug-facilitated sexual assaults are undoubtedly some of the most difficult cases to investigate, prosecute, & bring some measure of justice for the victim. They involve complex issues such as the consent defense; memory loss due to alcohol intoxication or trauma; suspects’ assertions they were as impaired as the victim, therefore leveling the playing field. However, with the cooperation & collaboration of well-trained Special Victims Prosecutors & investigators, these crimes can be thoroughly investigated & successfully prosecuted. In February 2012 in Austin, Texas, three soldiers separated a highly intoxicated University of Texas student from her friend, transported her to a hotel, & raped her. This interactive workshop will examine the first successful prosecution of a substantially incapacitated sexual assault case on the world’s largest military installation, Ft. Hood, Texas. The workshop will focus on the collaborative effort between the United States Army Judge Advocate General’s Corps & civilian law enforcement.

This computer lab will introduce attendees to EXIF data that can be found embedded within pictures. Attendees will learn what EXIF data is, what it contains, how to view it, how that data could enhance an investigation, and methods to document this information for the court, judge, and jury in an easily understood method. Ever wonder if someone has uploaded or downloaded information/programs/spyware via a flash drive? Have they connected a key logger to one of the USB ports? When you are executing a search warrant, would you like to know if the suspect has other storage devices or connected their phone to the computer to download pictures? Attendees will use a software tool and hands-on application of it to quickly answer these questions while still on scene.

Facebook is the largest worldwide social media website and contains a substantial amount of potential investigative information. In this computer lab, attendees will use Facebook graph search, which uses specific targeted terms that can show investigative material. The presenters will demonstrate how graph search works and explain how syntax, the structure of the search keywords and phrases, is vital to a successful search. Once a target profile has been identified, attendees will use Facebook URL manipulations to show content beyond what can be seen from the profile.

This computer lab will provide hands-on training with Field Search, a widely used non-technical tool for conducting triage, consent searches, and compliance monitoring of computers in the field. Each attendee will receive a free, fully functional copy of Field Search v5, the latest significant upgrade to Field Search.

This hands-on computer lab will introduce must-have software and methodologies. Topics will include Firefox add-ons such as Video Downloadhelper (to save videos from YouTube and other websites), and Screegrab (to save or copy websites). Also included will be Google searching techniques (Boolean operators) to make searching for information much more efficient and reliable. Google advanced operators, such as site: (to search only particular websites) and filetype: (to search only particular filetypes), as well as Google services such as Images (to search only images as well as reverse image searching techniques) and Scholar (to search only legal journals) will also be covered. Other software that will be introduced includes: Jing (screenshot and screencast software), VLC (for playing movies), Irfanview (for viewing images), and Audacity (for audio editing).

Attendees will learn how to locate, view, and read email header data. They will also learn what resources are available to determine what Internet Service Provider (ISP) was used to send the email; where and how to serve preservation requests and legal process to said ISP; and what some email services do to change the email header data and how that impacts an investigation. Attendees will also learn how to geo-locate a general area for the possible suspect before getting the physical address from the ISP. These skill sets will then be applied to a variety of emails while in the lab. Various methods of documenting these activities for future court proceedings will also be addressed.

Twitter has quickly become the go-to medium for today’s instant communication, proven by the fact that there are 6,000 tweets per second. In this computer lab, Twitter searching will be introduced to allow searching for Twitter profiles, tweet keywords, and hashtags, as well as searching for tweets from a particular latitude and longitude. These Twitter searching techniques will include both standard and hidden Boolean operators, ensuring that investigators have access to the best possible evidence.