About the Project
The Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI) supports the jurisdictional reform of approaches to sexual assault cases resulting from evidence found in sexual assault kits that have never been submitted to a crime laboratory. RTI supported the Bureau of Justice Assistance in the development of purposeful, strategy-based, and audience-focused communication materials and tools to support the bureau’s goal of preventing unsubmitted sexual assault kits in the future and the investigation/prosecution of cases related to unsubmitted kits. Learn more.
The Challenge
Many different types of people are involved in responding to sexual assault, including law enforcement, forensic scientists, evidence technicians, prosecutors, victim advocates, and survivors. Each has different needs for training, resources, and tools.
Our Solution
RTI’s subject matter and communication experts developed a variety of resources and tools to educate audiences on SAKI's primary focus areas: sexual assault kit administration and testing, victim notification, investigation, and prosecution. One highlight is the SAKI Toolkit, which lets users customize their own training materials by building a briefcase of resources—briefs, articles, videos, and webinars—they can use and share with others. To facilitate use and adoption, RTI also created pre-packaged briefcases for multidisciplinary team leaders, sexual assault investigators, SAKI site coordinators, and sexual assault prosecutors. Our team also worked with subject matter experts to create the SAKI Virtual Academy, which provides more than 50 trainings focused on sexual assault kit administration and testing, victim advocacy, and cold case investigation and prosecution. The trainings are structured based on adult learning principles, with supporting scenarios, case studies, and knowledge checks that allow for active learner practice.
All SAKI training and technical assistance (TTA) materials are available for free on the SAKI TTA website.
The SAKI Toolkit enables users to build a customized set of training resources tailored to specifics topics and needs.
SAKI’s online Virtual Academy offers online trainings and resources to help improve jurisdictions’ capacity to investigate, prosecute, inventory, and track sexual assault kits and provide trauma-informed victim services and advocacy.
Learn more about effective communication science strategies and solutions and contact our experts to start improving your outcomes today.
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Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI) Training and Technical Assistance (TTA)
A national program assisting the implementation and enhancement of effective and sustainable practices while supporting survivors of sexual assault
Read More about Sexual Assault Kit Initiative (SAKI) Training and Technical Assistance (TTA)
