Sexual Assault Response Teams

In March of 2000, SWC began an ambitious project to pull together all the
agencies involved in responding to cases of sexual assault, in an effort to
coordinate and improve the efforts of those agencies. It was hoped that by
improving the overall systemic response to victims, they would be more
likely to cooperate with the investigation and efforts to prosecute offenders
would be more successful.

Since that time, Sexual Assault Response Teams (SARTs) have been
meeting regularly in both Berkeley and Jefferson Counties. The teams
comprise representatives from law enforcement, the prosecutor's office, the
hospital emergency departments, and SWC, and meet monthly to discuss
the progress of cases, problems and obstacles faced by victims and the
agencies involved, and ways to improve policies and practices.

The SARTs have been successful in improving communication between all
agencies involved, refining agency protocol and practices to better serve
the needs of victims, and beginning the process of establishing a SANE
program in both City and Jefferson Memorial Hospitals (link to what is a
SANE?).

For more information about  Berkeley County and Jefferson County SART
Please contact  (304) 263-8522.
SEXUAL ASSAULT RESPONSE TEAMS
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