Virginia Commonwealth University Police Department

A message from the Virginia Commonwealth University Police Chief John Venuti:

The VCU Police Department’s participation in the You Have Options Program is our commitment to sexual assault survivors that they will not only be heard, but will also have their individual concerns addressed during both the reporting and investigative processes.

VCU Police take each and every incident very seriously. The person who committed the sexual assault is solely responsible for that assault and one of our jobs as law enforcement officers is to gather evidence to hold offenders accountable for their crimes.

We treat all members of our community with dignity and respect. Our goal is to establish high levels of trust with our community. Officers and detectives receive advanced training on trauma-informed interviewing and investigative strategies to identify serial sexual perpetrators. None of that work can begin without a sexual assault survivor reporting an incident to us.

We sincerely appreciate every sexual assault survivor who begins the process of reporting their experience to us. We understand that every survivor of sexual assault will have unique concerns during the reporting process and we will work with each survivor individually to address those concerns.

No one at the VCU Police Department expects any sexual assault survivor to make a decision regarding their participation in a criminal investigation when they initially report. At the VCU Police Department, sexual assault victims are given the time they need, and all of the relevant information they need, to make decisions that are right for them regardless of the criminal investigation. Priority is always given to a sexual assault survivor’s physical safety and mental well-being. VCU Police will dedicate whatever resources are needed and necessary to satisfy a person’s safety needs.

I hope that those considering reporting will take a moment to read about the 20 Elements of a Victim-Centered and Offender-Focused You Have Options Program Law Enforcement Response. Outlined within those elements are options for reporting at the VCU Police Department. Our officers and investigators are always available to speak with you if there are questions about the reporting or the investigative process. There is no requirement to provide any identifying information to get answers and we will work to find a sexual assault advocate and medical care even if you never intend to file a police report.

The VCU Police Department strives to work in a manner that always represents the best interests of the sexual assault survivor.

Respectfully,

Chief John Venuti
VCU Police Department
Assistant Vice President for Public Safety