Question

If the Sexual Assault Response Coordinator (SARC) is informed of an ongoing independent investigation before a restricted report is made, what must the SARC do?

A) Continue with the restricted reporting process without informing the victim.

B) Inform the victim of the ongoing independent investigation and notify them that the option of restricted reporting is no longer available.

C) Advise the victim to delay making any report until the independent investigation is complete.

D) Proceed with the restricted reporting process and inform the victim after it is completed.

Answer 1

The SARC must inform the victim about the ongoing independent investigation and explain that restricted reporting is no longer an option due to the investigation's impact on confidentiality.

Step-by-step explanation:

If the Sexual Assault Response Coordinator (SARC) is informed of an ongoing independent investigation before a restricted report is made, the SARC must inform the victim of the ongoing independent investigation and notify them that the option of restricted reporting is no longer available. The reason behind this is that a restricted report is intended to be confidential to provide the victim with support services without triggering an official investigation. However, if there is already an ongoing investigation, confidentiality cannot be guaranteed, and the victim needs to be informed about the impact of this on the reporting options available to them.