What is trauma-informed care in VCITP?

• A. It recognizes trauma's impact on behavior and tailors responses accordingly.
• B. It ignores trauma and focuses only on the crime details.
• C. It requires forceful disclosure of trauma.
• D. It replaces evidence collection with counseling.

Answer: (A)

Trauma-informed care means recognizing that traumatic experiences influence how someone communicates and behaves during an investigation, and adjusting our approach accordingly. In VCITP this means understanding that fear, confusion, memory gaps, or dissociation are common reactions, and shaping interactions to minimize retraumatization while still gathering information. It centers safety, trust, collaboration, empowerment, and cultural sensitivity. In practice, investigators slow the pace, validate feelings, offer choices, explain steps, obtain consent, allow breaks, and let the victim bring a support person if they want. Questions are non-leading and delivered with sensitivity, and the process connects victims with appropriate resources and supports rather than pressuring disclosure or judgment. This approach supports the survivor’s well-being while also meeting investigative goals.