Our work as investigators often involves asking people for sensitive information about traumatic events in their lives. There are many ways to minimize re-traumatization and ensure everyone involved feels supported throughout an investigation. While many trauma-informed principles are easy to implement, it requires an ongoing commitment to doing many small things right.
At Barker Hutchinson, we’ve completed over 400 sexual misconduct investigations, and we’ve learned many lessons along the way. In this two-part blog series, I’ll share some actionable tips on how to approach investigations from a trauma-informed lens.
Tip #1: Provide autonomy whenever possible
Individuals who have experienced trauma have often experienced a profound loss of control. One small way in which we as investigators can minimize the risk of re-traumatization is to offer the people we interview as much control over the investigation process as possible. Consider the following when interacting with your witness:
- How would they like to be contacted, and how often would they like to communicate with the investigator?
- Would they like to be interviewed in one day, or over the course of multiple days?
- Would they like to be interviewed in person or via videoconference?
- If in person, where would they like to be interviewed?
- If in person, where in the room would they like to sit?
- If it is an option, would they like a support person present during their interview?
- When would they like to take breaks during their interview?
- How do they want to tell their story?
By giving interviewees autonomy wherever possible, we can help them feel more comfortable and in control of the process.
Tip #2: Remove surprises
A simple way to support interviewees is to make sure they fully understand each step in the investigation, particularly the following:
- The investigator’s role, including its limits.
- The interviewee’s role in the investigation.
- Why the investigator needs to gather the interviewee’s information.
- How their information will be used.
- How and when the investigator will contact the interviewee.
- What the interviewee can expect from the interview, such as how long it will be, who will be there, whether it will be recorded, whether they can have a support person present, and how it will unfold.
- What the interviewee can expect after an interview.
- How the interviewee wants the investigator to contact them, should there need to be a follow-up.
The more surprises we can remove from the investigation process, and the more consistent we can be with interviewees, the likelier it is that we will be able to build trust with interviewees and they will feel comfortable sharing their information with us.
Tip #3: Invite a support person
It’s crucial to create a safe and supportive environment when conducting trauma-informed interviews, but it is equally important for investigators to remain neutral, which means we are limited in the support we can offer interviewees. It can be helpful for an interviewee to bring a support person who can help them feel safe and comfortable during the interview. This can be any number of people, such as a family member, a friend, a lawyer, a union representative, or a counsellor.
If the policies or legislation allow for it, the presence of a support person can help interviewees in the following ways:
- Reducing anxiety: A trusted individual can help the interviewee feel more at ease, which can allow them to focus on sharing their experiences.
- Building trust: Interviewees may have a greater sense of security when they know they have someone in their corner, and this helps them engage more openly in the investigation.
- Promoting accuracy: The interviewee is likelier to remember and articulate important details when they’re in a supportive environment, which leads to a more thorough and accurate interview.
- Minimizing re-traumatization: By creating a safer environment, the support person can help reduce the risk of re-traumatizing the interviewee.
There are a few considerations to keep in mind about who can serve as a support person. It must be someone who was not involved with the concerns and who isn’t a potential witness. Their presence can’t compromise the confidentiality of the investigation, and they must be able to attend the interview in a supportive manner without interfering or inadvertently influencing the interviewee’s responses or the investigation’s integrity; this can sometimes be challenging for those who are close to the interviewee.
Mindful Preparation
As we mentioned above, trauma-informed interviews involve many relatively small considerations that add up to create a safe environment in which interviewees can share their information.
Visit part two of this blog series to read more about trauma-informed practices in the language we use during interviews or follow me on LinkedIn for weekly tips on how to incorporate trauma informed practices.
