What step is helpful when interviewing sexual battery victims?

• A. Acknowledge the victim's emotional trauma or pain.
• B. Acknowledge the victim's emotional trauma or pain and ask what they are able to remember.
• C. Question the victim aggressively to obtain details.
• D. Avoid discussing emotions.

Answer: (B)

Trauma-informed, victim-centered interviewing is the guiding approach. The best step is to acknowledge the victim’s emotional trauma or pain and invite them to share what they are able to remember. Validating what they’re feeling helps establish safety and trust, which is essential after a traumatic event. At the same time, asking what they can remember respects their pace and avoids pressuring them to recount details they’re not ready to disclose. This balance supports more accurate information gathering because traumatic memories are often fragmented or recalled nonlinearly, and giving the victim space to remember at their own pace reduces re-traumatization. Aggressive questioning can retraumatize and shut down disclosure, while avoiding emotions neglects important validation and context that guide the interview.