Prof. Rebecca Campbell

Walter Sipe, M.D.

Russell W. Strand

The Neurobiology of Sexual Assault 

LEARNING GOAL: Law enforcement personnel will learn about the neurobiology of trauma and its application to victims of sexual assault. Participants will learn how trauma affects victims' emotions and behavioral presentations. Special attention will be given to examining how the brain processes and recalls traumatic events. Law enforcement personnel will learn how to apply these concepts to sexual assault investigations.

Performance objectives:

• Participants will become familiar with national data regarding sexual assault reporting and sexual assault case attrition

• Participants will understand common reasons why victims withdraw from the criminal justice system process and how this can be prevented

• Participants will understand how sexual assault case attrition is related to the neurobiology of trauma

• Participants will become familiar with neurobiological structures and physiological processes involved in traumatic events

• Participants will learn which specific neurobiological structures and physiological processes are involved in sexual assault

• Participants will learn how trauma affects victims' emotions and behavioral presentations

•  Participants will learn how trauma affect memory encoding and recall

• Participants will learn how common interviewing techniques, such as REID may be inadvisable with victims of trauma

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The Neurobiology of Trauma-Practical Implications

When people experience trauma, their brain function can be severely impacted. Understanding what trauma does to the brain, and the ability of trauma victims to cope with stress, learn, remember and relate to others, is critical for those working with victims of abuse.

Part One of this webinar will provide a basic understanding of how the brain can be damaged by, and adapts to cope with, traumatic stress. We will examine how trauma can manifest itself in a range of behaviors.

Part Two will show how an awareness of these biological processes related to trauma can translate into practical approaches for those who work with trauma victims - approaches which can serve the wellbeing of providers and victims alike.

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Forensic Experiential Trauma Interview (FETI) 

This webinar will explain how to apply the science of memory and psychological trauma to enhance trauma interview approaches and techniques. Traditional training in this area focused on the explaining the impact of trauma on the "higher functioning" portions of the brain. However, research in the field demonstrates that these portions of the brain are not generally involved in experiencing and reacting to trauma. Adapting the principles used in critical incident stress debriefing and also the empathy-based techniques developed for forensic child interviews, the FETI process was developed to instead engage the 'lower functioning' portions of the brain. This technique reduces inaccuracy of the information provided and increases the likelihood of understanding the totality of the experience.

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