Development of the CARING Model to Impact Sexual Assault Reporting on College Campuses

Sexual assault on college campuses has become an epidemic requiring institutions to respond. Through Title IX, all educational institutions receiving federal financial assistance from the U.S. Department of Education must have a Title IX coordinator and must respond to allegations of sexual assault. Little specific guidance for how to appropriately conduct an investigation of alleged sexual assault and harassment can be found in the mandates of Title IX. The authors offer a pilot model that can be used by interviewers conducting an investigation in which the victim is not re-traumatized or provided with negative reactions and that takes into account the emotional needs of the investigator. The CARING model focuses on skills necessary for interviewing individuals involved in sexual assault cases and on helping the helper.