How Might Victim Assistance Have Helped Or Harmed Jane Doe

1. What do you think of the portrayal of how Jane Doe was treated immediately after she was raped? The way Jane Doe was treated was almost inhumane. The detectives were more worried about the evidence they may lose, instead of the emotional, psychological, and physical trauma she suffered. Throughout the first stages of the investigation, Jane Doe requested to walk out of her room, so she would not be embarrassed, and the officer’s response was they need to preserve the evidence. This was a common phrase used during the movie. Once the officers arrived on the scene, and started conducting the interview, they kept interrupting her, or putting answer into her mouth to speed the investigation along. Not once was she asked how she was feeling, and when she expressed her concerns they responded with that it would hurt their investigation. Furthermore, the detectives, officers, and nurses, did not treat Jane Doe with empathy; consequently, leading it to be portrayed as inhumane.
2. Victim support services were not shown in the film; how might victim services/assistance have helped or harmed Jane Doe?

According to RCMP victim services there are four main goals, or objectives victim services provide for victims; 1) reduce the impact of crime and trauma for victims, 2) increase victim safety and reduce the risk of further victimization, 3) Increase the victim’s level of participation within the criminal justice system, 4) prepare victims who act as witnesses. Looking at the first two goals, victim services could have provided the empathy, and reassurance that she needed. They may have been able to provide the answers, she was looking for, as well as, be her emotional and psychological support. Instead of treating Jane Doe as evidence, they can provide the humanity during this time of