Police Perceptions of Using Alternative and Anonymous Reports of Sexual Assault to Improve Responses to Sexual Offending

This article examines the potential of alternative reporting options for policing responses to sexual assault drawing on interviews and roundtables with specialist police officers in Australia (n = 22). Alternative reporting options in this study were defined as written interview protocols that can be submitted by victim-survivors to police anonymously. We found that alternative reporting options can assist police with intelligence gathering and proactive policing and help prevent delayed reporting. However, police also identified several limitations of alternative reporting options for policing responses to sexual assault, including the challenges for police in safeguarding victim-survivors’ anonymity in particular situations, the limits of policing systems in effectively capturing and utilising intelligence contained in reports, and the potential legal implications if victim-survivors later wish to make a formal statement and proceed with an investigation. We conclude by discussing the implications for policing of sexual assault and making recommendations as to the investments policing agencies should make to maximise the potential of alternative reports.<p></p>