Medical and legal advocates, law enforcement, military, prosecutors, educators, community partners, and many more disciplines are a part of a team. That team is to create a more victim-centered response to sexual violence.

Eastern Iowa advocacy organization Riverview Center sponsored its first rural Sexual Assault Response Team or SART summit. A day filled with speakers, breakout sessions, conversations, and connection.

“In order to provide a really great victim response, you have to work together as a group. You have to understand each component of that team, and how they interact together and how they respond together,” Riverview Center SART coordinator Brandi Lewin said. “It’s much easier for survivors to come to us when they know there’s an entire system together, because especially the criminal justice system can be a very scary place to navigate. So, for them to see that those individuals are also there to support them, there’s male and females, and we’re all on the same team together.”

Iowa National Guard Judge Advocate Benjamin Hayek was a participant in Monday’s summit. His position provides advice and guidance to the guard’s sexual assault program and he is responsible for reporting all incidents immediately. Hayek said this is a good chance to start communication.

“One of the things I’m really trying to do while I’m here is just build relationship with local law enforcement, members in the local law enforcement community, so they can better understand our process and our reporting requirements and what we need of them, and what we are hoping to receive from them,” Hayek said. “We’re on a tidal wave of culture change in this area that is long overdue. I think getting everyone on the same page, acquainted with each other, and all working toward the same goal is really essential to the goal of eradication of the problem.”

Hayek and others had the chance to hear from retired law enforcement officer Justin Boardman. He spent 15 years in the field. Eight years in and after some training, he started taking a different approach toward victims of violence. After applying the new methods to his department, the number of reported cases to the district attorney’s office went up 400%.

“The way that we’ve been doing our interview process could probably add another 10 years of therapy onto our victims, this helps cut that down for sure the way that they’re treated,” Boardman said.

That method is studying how the brain records memories in moments of trauma, and learning how to make victims feel relaxed to share those memories. For example, he said asking open-ended questions could help a victim stay calm.

Boardman said the public can also use some of the methods if a victim is seeking help. He said start by believing, empathize, do not blame, and offer a shoulder.

“If you just jump to how many drinks did you have? What were you wearing? That shuts our survivors down and more likely than not they won’t report, because already the person they felt comfortable with and trusted is questioning what happened to them,” Boardman said.

Riverview said it hopes the different officials apply what they learned, connect, and better serve victims in the future.