NSVRC releases updated Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) Toolkit

Harrisburg, PA, Sept. 18, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC) is pleased to announce the release of the Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) Toolkit, an online toolkit to address the needs of sexual assault survivors through a continued partnership with the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC).

The SART Toolkit is designed to support multidisciplinary response teams with easy access to information and resources, as they constantly seek to support victims and hold offenders accountable. This comprehensive tool contains thousands of resources on over 80 topics including practical tips for effective teamwork, best practices, ideas for expansion and connections to guide development and improvement. The SART Toolkit also highlights the needs of underserved populations such as male survivors, LGBTQ+ individuals and people of color.

“It takes many voices and roles working together to address the deep impact of sexual violence in our communities,” said Yolanda Edrington, Director of NSVRC. “We are proud to have developed the SART Toolkit to equip those serving at the front lines of our communities with current research and best practices as they work to support victims and hold offenders accountable.”

Since the 1990s, the multidisciplinary approach to responding to sexual violence has led communities to develop sexual assault response teams (SARTs). These groups are typically comprised of sexual assault advocates, medical forensic examiners, prosecutors and law enforcement officers who work together to support survivors in their communities and improve the system’s response to sexual violence.

SARTs are encouraged to use the SART Toolkit to identify opportunities to connect with victims and their community to make the most meaningful improvements. The SART Toolkit is available at www.nsvrc.org/sarts/toolkit.

ABOUT THE NATIONAL SEXUAL VIOLENCE RESOURCE CENTER:

NSVRC is the leading nonprofit in providing information and tools to prevent and respond to sexual violence.NSVRC translates research and trends into best practices that help individuals, communities and service providers achieve real and lasting change. The center also works with the media to promote informed reporting. Every April, NSVRC leads Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM), a campaign to educate and engage the public in addressing this widespread issue. NSVRC is also one of the three founding organizations of RALIANCE, a national, collaborative initiative dedicated to ending sexual violence in one generation.