Trauma-Informed Investigations Field Guide

“Trauma-Informed Investigations Field Guide” documents the trauma-informed approach adopted by UNITAD in an effort to share leading, actionable practice for domestic and international investigators with respect to their engagement with vulnerable survivors and witnesses.  

Engaging with witnesses and survivors in a manner sensitive to the trauma they may have suffered has been a central priority of UNITAD. In addition to mainstreaming a psycho-social approach in the collection of testimonial evidence, the UNITAD Witness Protection and Support Unit has developed guidance documents and in-house training to enhance the ability of investigators to engage with vulnerable witnesses in a manner aligned with best practice.  

This area of work has benefited from collaboration with the Human Rights in Trauma Mental Health Program at Stanford University, who have further supported UNITAD in the development of expert impact reports synthesizing available mental health data pertaining to those affected by crimes committed by ISIL.

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