Many communities and police departments across the country are clearing their caches of untested sexual assault evidence kits. They face a challenging question: how best to notify the victims in those cases that require the investigation to be re-opened. How to reengage victims is critical to their well-being and to the investigation and potential prosecutions.
The Institute on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault has responded to this national need by developing a guide “Notification for victims of assault (NoVA): A guide for communities with untested sexual assault kits.” The guide distills best practices and current science into an empirically based five-step process called the NoVA Change Process. The process provides a framework for confronting unique challenges and opportunities in a manner tailored to local realities and needs.