What investigative skills are taught to avoid retraumatization during interviews?

• A. Pressure victim to recall details quickly.
• B. Use empathy, pacing, non-judgment, allow breaks, avoid pressure, and present choices.
• C. Interrupt frequently to keep control.
• D. Avoid asking any sensitive questions.

Answer: (B)

In interviews designed to prevent retraumatization, the focus is on a victim-centered, trauma-informed approach that prioritizes safety, autonomy, and rapport. The best answer reflects using empathy, appropriate pacing, non-judgment, allowing breaks, avoiding pressure, and presenting choices. Empathy builds trust and reduces defensiveness, making the person more willing to share details. Appropriate pacing respects the victim’s readiness and prevents rushing memory or dialogue. Non-judgment reduces shame that can block disclosure. Allowing breaks helps regulate emotions and prevents overwhelm, while avoiding pressure preserves the sense of control, which lowers the risk of triggering retrauma. Presenting choices reinforces autonomy, giving the person options for how and when to respond. This approach supports accurate information gathering while protecting the survivor from additional harm. Pressuring to recall quickly, interrupting frequently, or avoiding sensitive questions altogether do not align with this trauma-informed, victim-centered method.