The non-stranger rapist-oriented interview for complainants: Eliciting high-quality accounts

Abstract

Non-stranger rape (NSR) cases are often not prosecuted because of the poor quality of the accounts obtained from complainants. However, a growing body of research suggests that such high attrition rates are likely to improve when the quality of these accounts is increased by skilled interviewing. To assist police interviewers in eliciting high-quality accounts, the development of a guide for the interviewing of NSR complainants has recently been recommended. The present study aims to make the first step in developing such a guide. A multidisciplinary literature search was conducted. The newly developed Non-Stranger Rapist-Oriented Interview (NSROI) is specifically designed to promote complainants’ disclosure of evidentially relevant information in the form of a clear, chronological and concise narrative (i.e., a high-quality account). The guide is divided into the ‘preparatory’, ‘rape’ and ‘rape aftermath’ phase. The three themes and questions of the first phase focus on revealing the context in which the alleged rape occurred. The five themes and questions of the second phase concentrate on the day of sexual penetration. The third phase’s ninth theme and questions focus on the psychological impact of the events on the complainant. The guide includes the following themes: (i) vulnerabilities, (ii) relationship history, (iii) indications of planning and premeditation, (iv) method to gain control, (v) method to keep control, (vi) offered resistance, (vii) sexual acts performed, sequence and degree of penetration, (viii) perpetrator’s behaviour after the performed sexual acts and (ix) victim’s post-event psychological injury. The potential, implications and limitations of the NSROI are discussed.