• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Home
  • About
  • The Magazine
  • Events
  • Partners
  • Products
  • Contact
  • Jobs and Careers
  • Advertise
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • Subscribe
American Police Beat

American Police Beat Magazine

Law Enforcement Publication

  • Home
  • Leadership
    • A candid chat with law enforcement Explorer scouts
      Do you know your emotional intelligence?
      Addressing racism in the workplace
      Supervisory actions: Deliberate style or weak skills?
      Are performance evaluations worth the effort?
  • Topics
    • Leadership
      • A candid chat with law enforcement Explorer scouts
        Do you know your emotional intelligence?
        Addressing racism in the workplace
        Supervisory actions: Deliberate style or weak skills?
        Are performance evaluations worth the effort?
    • Editor’s Picks
      • The future is here
        A winding road
        Do you know your emotional intelligence?
        Law enforcement responds to tragic Texas flooding
        “Hold my beer”
    • On the Job
      • A winding road
        Law enforcement responds to tragic Texas flooding
        I brought home a dog
        Six Mexican cartels designated as terrorist organizations
        Police chief: Officers likely prevented further violence in Minnesota...
    • Labor
      • Building positive media relations
        LEO labor and community outreach — make the haters scoff
        Racing with a purpose
        Dallas Police Department drops college requirement for police...
        Small Texas town left without a police force after firing its last...
    • Tech
      • New Jersey school district first to adopt AI gun detection and...
        Hawaii police harness virtual reality technology to train, secure and...
        The future is here
        How local police departments can combat cybercrime
        Your website is your front desk
    • Training
      • Using critical thinking to crack the case
        Navigating cultural and language barriers
        Why you should pocket carry
        The future is here
        Training for tomorrow
    • Policy
      • Consolidation in action
        California lawmakers push mask ban for officers, raising safety...
        Proactive policing: What it is and how to do it
        California makes police misconduct records publicly available
        A bold idea for reducing homelessness in America
    • Health/Wellness
      • The warm path and the hot path
        Understanding chronic pain and depression
        Suicide and first responder retirement
        A golden key to suicide prevention
        The urgency to protect those who protect us
    • Community
      • A bold idea for reducing homelessness in America
        Operation Brain Freeze keeps community cool
        Turning over a new leaf
        Bridging the Gap Between Cops and Kids
        An unexpected reunion
    • Offbeat
      • Not eggzactly a perfect heist
        Pizza … with a side of alligator?
        Wisconsin man charged with impersonating Border Patrol agent twice in...
        Only in California?
        Durango, Colorado, police hop into action after unusual 9-1-1 call
    • We Remember
      • York County ambush leaves three officers dead, others critically...
        Honoring the Fallen Heroes of 9/11
        Team Romeo
        National Police Week 2025
        Honoring Fallen Heroes
    • HOT Mail
      • The War on Cops Continues Unabated
  • On the Job
    • A winding road
      Law enforcement responds to tragic Texas flooding
      I brought home a dog
      Six Mexican cartels designated as terrorist organizations
      Police chief: Officers likely prevented further violence in Minnesota...
  • Labor
    • Building positive media relations
      LEO labor and community outreach — make the haters scoff
      Racing with a purpose
      Dallas Police Department drops college requirement for police...
      Small Texas town left without a police force after firing its last...
  • Tech
    • New Jersey school district first to adopt AI gun detection and...
      Hawaii police harness virtual reality technology to train, secure and...
      The future is here
      How local police departments can combat cybercrime
      Your website is your front desk
  • Training
    • Using critical thinking to crack the case
      Navigating cultural and language barriers
      Why you should pocket carry
      The future is here
      Training for tomorrow
  • Policy
    • Consolidation in action
      California lawmakers push mask ban for officers, raising safety...
      Proactive policing: What it is and how to do it
      California makes police misconduct records publicly available
      A bold idea for reducing homelessness in America
  • Health/Wellness
    • The warm path and the hot path
      Understanding chronic pain and depression
      Suicide and first responder retirement
      A golden key to suicide prevention
      The urgency to protect those who protect us
  • Community
    • A bold idea for reducing homelessness in America
      Operation Brain Freeze keeps community cool
      Turning over a new leaf
      Bridging the Gap Between Cops and Kids
      An unexpected reunion
  • Offbeat
    • Not eggzactly a perfect heist
      Pizza … with a side of alligator?
      Wisconsin man charged with impersonating Border Patrol agent twice in...
      Only in California?
      Durango, Colorado, police hop into action after unusual 9-1-1 call
  • We Remember
    • York County ambush leaves three officers dead, others critically...
      Honoring the Fallen Heroes of 9/11
      Team Romeo
      National Police Week 2025
      Honoring Fallen Heroes
  • HOT Mail
    • The War on Cops Continues Unabated
  • About
  • The Magazine
  • Events
  • Partners
  • Products
  • Contact
  • Jobs and Careers
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe
Search

Editor's Picks

Empowering through experience

Working with advocates to support sexual assault survivors

Matthew Stegner Published April 18, 2025 @ 6:00 am PDT

iStock.com/KatarzynaBialasiewicz

Editor’s note: April is National Sexual Assault Awareness Month, an annual campaign to raise public awareness about sexual violence in the U.S., and to educate communities and individuals about its impacts and how to prevent it.

For much of my law enforcement career, I remained oblivious to the role of advocates and failed to capitalize on their support. When I commenced my law enforcement journey in 1998, resources for handling traumatic events were scarce, leaving me to navigate through the intricacies of victim support largely unaided. I discharged my duties to the best of my abilities, delivering heart-wrenching death notifications, forwarding child abuse cases to investigators and attempting to display compassion, despite my Generation X predisposition to avoid delving into emotions.

Upon transitioning to the role of an investigator, I encountered cases previously unseen during my tenure as a uniformed officer. Child abuse cases, which were typically delegated to investigators, now fell under my purview. The dearth of resources in the rural area of New York where I was stationed necessitated that investigators, including me, receive training as forensic interviewers due to budget constraints. This intensive training, while invaluable, underscored the critical need for a centralized hub like a child advocacy center, where all essential resources — counselors, advocates, child protective services, pediatricians, law enforcement and prosecutors — could converge to address cases comprehensively.

However, the innovative and trauma-informed approach afforded to child victims seemed conspicuously absent when dealing with adult victims of sexual assault and abuse. The absence of a protocol akin to that of child advocacy centers meant that interviews with adult victims often transpired in police stations, typically in interrogation rooms, devoid of forensic interviewing principles. Lamentably, my approach to questioning often mirrored that of an interrogation, with little regard for the sensitivity required when handling such cases. This deficiency in training left me ill-equipped to comprehend victimology, recognize the dynamics of abusive relationships or appreciate the profound impact of trauma. When I was outside the child advocacy center, my questions focused more on victim credibility than case facts.

My awakening came with a particularly harrowing case — a violent sexual assault perpetrated within the confines of an intimate relationship. As I delved into the victim’s account, she disclosed unimaginable horrors, including being bound, burned and repeatedly raped by her partner. However, instead of prioritizing her narrative and providing the support she desperately needed, I regrettably succumbed to biases, questioning her credibility and subjecting her to repeated interviews in isolation.

It wasn’t until a seasoned detective intervened, urging me to focus on the evidence and conduct a thorough investigation, that I began to grasp the gravity of my missteps. Despite securing a guilty plea from the perpetrator, my failure to connect the victim with an advocate and my insistence on subjecting her to solitary interrogations weighed heavily on my conscience.

The epiphany spurred by this case propelled me toward a path of redemption and a commitment to effecting meaningful change. Subsequently, an opportunity arose to join the Campus Sexual Assault Victims Unit — a role that would entail investigating sexual assaults targeting New York State college students. Eager to rectify my past failings, I immersed myself in education, availing myself of resources such as webinars from End Violence Against Women International to enhance my understanding of trauma-informed interviewing techniques and the pivotal role of advocates in supporting survivors.

As I embarked on this transformative journey, forging collaborative partnerships with community-based advocates proved instrumental in redefining my approach to victim support. Embracing a trauma-informed interviewing style, bolstered by the presence of advocates during victim interviews, fostered an environment of trust and empowerment. Advocates, witnessing my commitment to treating survivors with dignity and respect, began referring clients to me, heralding a new chapter in my law enforcement career — one marked by collaborative endeavors and meaningful impact.

Though the journey was not without its challenges, with occasional friction arising with new community-based advocates, our collective dedication to serving survivors remained unwavering. Forging alliances between law enforcement and advocates emerged as a cornerstone of effective victim support, reaffirming the imperative of community engagement in law enforcement endeavors.

In my twilight years as a law enforcement officer, I seized every opportunity to impart the lessons gleaned from my journey, advocating for the integration of trauma-informed practices and collaborative partnerships in victim support initiatives. I remain profoundly grateful for the advocates who tirelessly champion the cause of survivors and for the chance to rectify my past oversights, ensuring that every victim receives the support and compassion they deserve.

Matthew Stegner

Matthew Stegner

Matthew Stegner is a retired senior investigator with the New York State Police, boasting 26 years of service in law enforcement. He now channels his expertise into national training initiatives focused on sexual assault, child abuse and child exploitation, advocating for the transformative power of advocacy in victim support.

View articles by Matthew Stegner

As seen in the April 2025 issue of American Police Beat magazine.
Don’t miss out on another issue today! Click below:

SUBSCRIBE TODAY!

Categories: Editor's Picks, On the Job

Primary Sidebar

Recent Articles

  • New Jersey school district first to adopt AI gun detection and emergency alerts
  • The warm path and the hot path
  • A candid chat with law enforcement Explorer scouts
  • National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund Announces 2025 Ambassador Impact Award Winner
  • Understanding chronic pain and depression
  • Hawaii police harness virtual reality technology to train, secure and recruit
  • Suicide and first responder retirement
  • Consolidation in action
  • National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund launches 2025 Bid for the Badge online auction
  • National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund announces “Restoring the Ranks” conference on recruitment and retention

Footer

Our Mission
To serve as a trusted voice of the nation’s law enforcement community, providing informative, entertaining and inspiring content on interesting and engaging topics affecting peace officers today.

Contact us: info@apbweb.com | (800) 234-0056.

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter

Categories

  • Editor’s Picks
  • On the Job
  • Labor
  • Tech
  • Training
  • Policy
  • Health/Wellness
  • Community
  • Offbeat
  • We Remember
  • Jobs and Careers
  • Events

Editor’s Picks

The future is here

The future is here

August 21, 2025

A winding road

A winding road

August 20, 2025

Do you know your emotional intelligence?

Do you know your emotional intelligence?

August 17, 2025

Law enforcement responds to tragic Texas flooding

Law enforcement responds to tragic Texas flooding

August 11, 2025

Policies | Consent Preferences | Copyright © 2025 APB Media, LLC | Website design, development and maintenance by 911MEDIA

Open

Subscribe

Close

Receive the latest news and updates from American Police Beat directly to your inbox!

  • This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.