A Ten-Factor Framework for Sexual Assault Response Team Effectiveness

Systems-change sexual assault response teams (SARTs) are community-based multidisciplinary teams (MDTs) that work to create long-term improvements to local systems of response to sexual violence. SARTs enable communities to maximize the effectiveness of their available resources and responses, and to improve relationships between institutions like law enforcement, victim services, prosecution, and local hospitals. For STOP administrators, funding systems-change SART work is an efficient way to leverage existing local resources and meet the 20% sexual assault funding set-aside.

The following framework for SART effectiveness breaks down ten factors that can help to facilitate the success of systems-change SARTS. These ten factors include six internal team characteristics and four external supports.

This framework was informed by the input of seventeen teams across the nation that SVJI staff engaged in a consensus-building process during site visits in 2015- 2016. These SARTs varied in structure, governance, composition, and demographic makeup. Each team met SVJI’s definition of a SART engaged in systems-change work. There was consensus from all participating teams on the key internal and external elements that best support systems change SART effectiveness.