A Guide to Focus Groups for Sexual Assault Response Teams

Focus groups are a powerful tool for Sexual Assault Response Teams (SARTs) to gather in-depth feedback and insights from diverse perspectives. By facilitating open and guided discussions, SARTs can better understand the experiences and needs of:

• Victims/survivors
• Service providers
• Community members

This guide is designed to help SARTs effectively plan, conduct, and analyze focus groups. It walks through:

• Selecting participants
• Structuring sessions
• Interpreting results

Whether you’re new to focus groups or refining your approach, this guide offers practical tips and promising practices to support trauma-informed, victim/survivor-centered engagement.