When interviewing a potential victim of sexual violence with the perpetrator present, the professional should:

• A. listen for discrepancies on how they described the circumstances involving the current injury.
• B. interview them together and repeat questions.
• C. avoid asking about the incident.
• D. assume the victim is lying.

Answer: (A)

When interviewing a potential sexual violence survivor, especially with the perpetrator present, the goal is to gather accurate information while recognizing how trauma and fear can affect memory and disclosure. Listening for discrepancies in how the survivor describes the circumstances around the injury helps you identify inconsistencies that may indicate areas needing clarification, gaps in recall, or influences from coercion. This approach supports careful, nonjudgmental probing and thorough documentation, which are essential for safety planning, reporting, and coordinating care. It also avoids pressuring the survivor with repeated questions or a charged dynamic that could worsen fear or trauma.

Interviews conducted with the perpetrator present can undermine safety and disclosure, and repeating questions in that setting is likely to produce guarded or conflicting answers. It’s not appropriate to avoid asking about the incident, since details are necessary for a proper assessment, and assuming the victim is lying is harmful and unprofessional. The focus should be on respectful, trauma-informed inquiry that prioritizes the survivor’s safety and supports accurate information gathering.