Studies show that increased police training can lead to more sexual assault convictions. 19 Investigates discovered that the state of Ohio does not require law enforcement officers to complete regular sexual assault training.
“What were you wearing when you…?” a Cleveland Heights police officer asked Alisa Alfaro after she had been raped by her neighbor and dogwalker after he broke into her apartment in the middle of the night.Alisa Alfaro’s interaction with Cleveland Heights police is just one example of why more training is needed for officers responding to sexual assaults.
Deputy Taylor said officers without training can unintentionally deter sexual assault victims from reporting an already underreported crime. She said there are certain ways to ask survivors questions that could otherwise be triggering. The Ohio Peace Officer Training Academy, or OPOTA, oversees the certification and training requirements of law enforcement officers, including the 24 hours of continued professional training all officers in the state have to complete each year.
“It is not easy to come forward and talk about oftentimes the most horrible things that have ever happened to you and to share that with somebody who is a stranger,” said Erika Kura, a sexual assault survivor. “Perpetrators in these cases rely on law enforcement to respond negatively,” Taylor explained. “They know the barriers that victims are going to face when reporting.”
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