It's Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM) and the goal of SAAM 2015 is to support campuses in creating a culture of prevention and effective, trauma-informed response. One of the ways campuses can do this is by learning about and participating in the You Have Options Program (YHOP). Created by law enforcement for law enforcement, the YHOP focuses on changing two fundamental elements in the law enforcement response to sexual violence: "increasing the number of victims who report to law enforcement, and thoroughly investigating identified offenders for serial perpetration." This victim-centered effort, started by the Ashland, Oregon Police Department, was formalized in 2012 after several years of research and development.During the development process, investigators concluded that "law enforcement benefits when victims are allowed to set the pace and parameters of their case because when a victim feels like a true partner in police efforts, he or she will provide more comprehensive information and participate more fully in the investigative and judicial process. Victims benefit because they are provided with the time they need to make a decision that is right for them, independent of the needs of the criminal justice system."

Law enforcement agencies participating in the You Have Options Program believe in providing victims of sexual assault with as much control over their report, and any subsequent criminal investigation, as the law allows and offer victims of sexual assault three reporting options:

1. Information Only Report - involves no investigation beyond a survivor interview and/or a complete or partial Inquiry into Serial Sexual Assault (ISSA), with the survivor's consent.
2. Partial Investigation - involves further investigation initiated by law enforcement beyond the victim interview and a complete or partial ISSA and may include additional investigation such as interviewing witnesses or the collection of evidence.
3. Complete Investigation - involves a full inquiry where all investigative procedures necessary to determine if probable cause exists for a criminal offense have been initiated and completed.

The 2015 YHOP Overview and Implementation Guide (PDF) has the most up-to-date and complete information about the program. Law enforcement agencies wishing to join the YHOP should review this guide, visit the How to Join page, review the 20 Elements of Victim-Centered and Offender-Focused response and read the YHOP Memorandum of Understanding (PDF).

In the ABC 20/20 episode, "Campus Confidential," Ashland Police Department Detective Carrie Hull stresses the importance of the investigation in saying, "there's no such thing as a he said/she said. A he said/she said case is a poor investigation." Individuals from participating YHOP agencies receive training in law enforcement options for sexual assault reporting and best practice law enforcement strategies to assist in the identification and investigation of sexual offenders.  Participating agencies are also encouraged to train their personnel in the Forensic Experiential Trauma Interview (FETI) for use in victim interviewing. This interviewing technique reduces the inaccuracy of information obtained during the interview process and enables investigators to understand how victims, due to the impacts of trauma on the brain, behavior and memory, experienced their assaults and recorded them into memory.