Forensic education

The purpose of the event is to provide an opportunity for professionals working within forensic sexual offences services in Scotland, in particular forensic examiners, nurses, child medical examiners, police, prosecutors and agencies working with victims of sexual violence to discuss current topical issues and research findings and update on any evidence-based changes in practice in response to updated guidance or legislation. 

• The conference will begin with a session to support the continued embedding of trauma-informed principles into practice for all agencies working with those with lived experience of sexual violence, and keep this in mind throughout the programme.
• There are several sessions raising delegate awareness of challenging factors that can limit accessibility of services and demonstrate potential solutions for delegates to compare within their own services and support future changes. This includes services for seldom heard communities within sexual offences services, including those who have been trafficked, those involved in transactional sex, those with sensory challenges and those with cultural challenges.
• The section on research includes a description of changing language in the current climate of increasing online toxic masculinity, current research supporting the impact of a SARCS model of service delivery in supporting onward recovery and an overview of SARC adolescent attender characteristics, emphasizing the importance of a foundation of evidence-based practice and supporting the development of future research ideas.
• A research session on homicide and suicide review will segue into a presentation on the investigation of domestic abuse and the expectations of the Scottish homicide review, being developed and informed by several of the attending delegates. The challenges and solutions of prosecuting sexual crime with reference to a recent case will be described.
• A description of methods to support recovery for those with prison experience will be followed by an opportunity to ask questions of the current scientific lead in Scottish police forensics lab services on current forensic practice.
• Scottish Government will update delegates on current developments and panel discussions throughout the day, offering delegates a chance to reflect and compare and contrast with their own working experience
  • Supporting positive changes. Foundations of evidence-based practice – research update.
  • Making services accessible – hard to reach populations or hard to reach services?
  • SARCS network and Scottish Government update.
  • Domestic abuse presentations in sexual assault settings.
  • Supporting recovery from sexual violence in those with prison experience. 

Adolescent attendances

This presesntation allows further discussion on a West of Scotland SARCs report exploring the characteristics of adolescent complainers and suspects over a 5 year period;

• to gain a deeper understanding of the nature and experiences of the adolescents service users
• to consider future preventative strategies to protect young people (both from offending and being assaulted)
• to best facilitate recovery and resilience of adolescents with lived experience of sexual violence.

Pre-attendance: access to WoS report

Enquiring and responding to Domestic Abuse in complainers of sexual violence

This presentation explores enquiring about domestic abuse in those who have experienced sexual violence when perpetrators of domestic abuse may /may not also be the perpetrator of the sexual violence. Use of the Risk Indicator Checklist and planning next steps to ensure appropriate safeguarding.

Pre-attendance: access to Risk Indicator checklist

Trauma-Informed Principles in Practice.

Using fictitious cases, this presentation demonstrates the use of a trauma-informed lens to multiagency services to support collaborative management of individuals who have experienced sexual violence by;

• reflecting on what aspects to continue,
• what to stop or change and
• what motivators are required to add to current practice and embed trauma-informed principles into practice.

Feedback from service users, including the national patient feedback, will be discussed.

Pre-attendance: access to Trauma Informed Lens summary to allow reflection pre-attendance on own service delivery.