15 Tips for Improving Sexual Violence Service Data Collection

Jenn Eidemiller

OAESV Grants, Resource & Communications Manager

In Ohio, stronger data collection can deepen our understanding of sexual assault and improve resources for survivors. Currently, data collection primarily relies on quantitative approaches, valuable numbers that certainly empower, yet can fall short of capturing the full picture.

Behind every statistic is a person with a unique and intricate story. By blending quantitative data with survivor stories, the Ohio Alliance to End Sexual Violence and Ohio rape crisis centers create a more compassionate and comprehensive understanding of sexual assault in our state.

Barriers to Effective Data Collection

Ohio rape crisis centers face challenges when collecting data, such as:

  • Identifying & Defining Sexual Assault: Some individuals may not recognize their experiences in the definitions provided by Ohio rape crisis centers or the Ohio Revised Code. In many communities, cultural norms can affect the language used to describe sexual assault. Additionally, not all school-age children in Ohio receive education on sexual assault or violence prevention1, leading to challenges in recognizing when such violence occurs.

  • Fear of Disclosure: Survivors often fear judgment, retaliation, or disbelief, which can prevent them from disclosing their experiences or seeking support.

  • Timing of Disclosure: Some survivors disclose sexual assault soon after the incident occurs, while others may do so decades later. This variability creates barriers to capturing real-time information about the types of sexual assault while also ensuring that supportive environments are available for survivors to disclose when they feel ready.
  • Limited Resources: Staff and funding shortages make it challenging to prioritize data collection efforts or to purchase software necessary for collecting and reporting data.
  • Reporting Burden: Local programs often work with multiple federal, state, and local funders to support their work, which can lead to duplicate, uncoordinated, or repetitive requests for data reporting.

Strategies for Better Data Collection

Addressing these barriers requires a multi-faceted approach. Here are some strategies Ohio rape crisis centers can implement to improve data collection:

What to Collect
  • Engagement Pathways: Document the various ways and times that survivors reach out to your program (e.g. number of hotline calls or chat messages received; walk-in disclosures; tabling interactions). Analyzing this data will help identify when and how community members feel comfortable seeking support, as well as avenues less frequently used.
  • Disclosures: Collect information on the types of violence disclosed, when the violence was reported, when it occurred, and the survivor–perpetrator relationship. This approach prevents sexual assault statistics from being merged with other forms of violence, such as domestic violence. Additionally, it allows providers to differentiate between intimate partner and non-intimate partner sexual assaults, ensuring that services align with the needs of all survivors seeking support.
  • Demographics: Collect self-reported gender, race, ethnicity, and other identities. Include textbox options to capture accurate identities, in addition to dropdowns or checkboxes. This can help programs understand who services are reaching and address gaps in their communities.
  • Service Delivery: Track number, type, and duration of sexual assault services separately from domestic violence. This distinction ensures that sexual assault services are not conflated with domestic violence data. Additionally, collecting data on the types of services provided and the hours each service is delivered emphasizes the long-term nature of case management, which aims to support survivors in achieving their goals, rather than merely tallying the types of services or the number of times services are offered.
  • Narratives: Find ways to collect narrative and storytelling data, ensuring that stories are only shared with the ongoing permission and consent of survivors. This practice helps to illustrate the people behind the numbers. Read OAESV’s blog on Ethical Storytelling for more guidance.
  • Unmet Requests: Note the services that survivors request, even if those services are not currently available. This data can guide future programming, improve responsiveness to community needs; identify staffing capacity, and bolster requests for additional resources to meet the needs of their communities.
  • Service Evaluations: Provide survivors opportunities to provide feedback on the services they receive. This feedback could be collected during and after services, allowing survivors to anonymously evaluate whether the services met their goals and improved their sense of safety and well-being.
  • Necessary Data Only: Avoid collecting data that does not have a clear purpose and need. Excessive data collection can overburden staff and negatively impact trust with survivors and community members.
How to Collect It
    • Flexible Intake Forms: Allow survivors to describe experiences in their own words. Storytelling can help achieve a more nuanced understanding of trauma. Train staff to identify how self-described experiences align with the agency’s definitions of violence for data collection purposes.
    • Data Glossary: Different communities, service providers, and the criminal legal system have varying definitions of sexual assault experiences. It is essential to create a “data glossary” to guide staff in collecting data and ensure accuracy and consistency. Some funders provide examples of data glossaries that can serve as templates or starting points.
    • Automation: Use electronic forms and database systems to streamline collection and reporting. If a program is using manual processes, consider creating spreadsheets or templates to aid in organizing and summarizing your data.
  • Confidentiality: Make sure that survivors are informed about how their information will be documented and shared. Ensure staff are regularly trained on security practices and confidentiality.
  • Communicate Use: Explain how data improves services and secures funding.
  • Communicate Data Use: Help survivors, their families, and stakeholders understand why data is collected, how it is protected, and how it is used to improve support for other survivors. Data collection is fundamentally about building relationships; sharing how this data is used can help deepen trust.

Using Data to Improve Services

For many organizations, data collection for grant reporting often becomes the main focus, transforming what should be a valuable process into a burdensome task. It can feel like a chore to check off boxes created by external funders and larger systems, especially when the data collected is not always shared back with the team.

There’s a more productive way to approach data collection that can truly inform and improve services. Programs can:

    1. Share regular summaries (quarterly, biannual, annual) of data, highlighting who was served and how. Sharing these summaries during team meetings to reflect on the work, discuss findings, and inform future initiatives.
    1. Encourage team reflection on what the data reveals. Take detailed notes on how these insights can inform ongoing work. This process can highlight trends, such as when hotline calls spike, or identify populations not yet reached.

Conclusion

Improved data collection is not just a reporting task, but a chance to reflect, grow, and strengthen services. By combining statistics with survivor voices, Ohio rape crisis centers can ensure every survivor feels seen, supported, and empowered.

For additional support with data collection, reach out to OAESV staff at info@oaesv.org.

1 While Ohio has mandated K-12 sexual abuse and sexual violence prevention in public schools, current law includes an opt-out provision for parents/guardians to remove their children from this education. Additionally, non-public schools are not included in this mandate, leaving many children with critical gaps in their understanding about healthy relationships and personal safety.

 

This project was supported by Grant No. 15JOVW-24-GG-00972-MUMU awarded by the Office on Violence Against Women, U.S. Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, conclusions, and recommendations expressed in this publication/program/exhibition are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the U.S. Department of Justice.

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