View source for Special Victims Unit

{{Short description|Division within some police departments}}
{{More citations needed|date=February 2024}}
{{Globalize|date=October 2017}}
{{Redirect|Sex Crimes Unit|the 2011 documentary|Sex Crimes Unit (film)}} {{for|the [[Law & Order (franchise)|Law & Order franchise]] spin-off|Law & Order: Special Victims Unit}}

A '''Special Victims Unit''' ('''SVU'''), also known as a '''Special Victims Division''', is a specialized branch within some [[law enforcement agency|law enforcement agencies]], typically [[police departments]]. These units focus on cases involving vulnerable or high-risk victims. Detectives assigned to an SVU typically investigate [[sexual assault|sexual offenses]] or other crimes that require sensitive handling, such as those involving children, the [[elderly]], or people with [[disability|disabilities]]. Because of the sensitive nature of these investigations, SVU detectives often receive specialized training in forensic interviewing, [[crisis intervention]], and [[victim advocacy]].

==United States==
===New York City===
The [[New York City Police Department]]'s Special Victims Unit, the [[New_York_City_Police_Department_Detective_Bureau#Special_Victims_Division|Special Victims Division]], investigates [[Sex and the law|sex crimes]]. It is housed in separate Borough Patrols (Manhattan, the Bronx, Queens, Staten Island and Brooklyn). The Special Victims Division only investigates the following types of cases:

* All children under 11 years of age who are the victim of [[Child abuse|abuse]] by a [[parent]] or person legally responsible for the care of the child.
* All children under 13 years of age who are the victim of a [[sex crime]] or attempted sex crime.
* All victims of [[rape]] or attempted rape.
* All victims of a criminal sexual act or attempted criminal sexual act.
* Victims of aggravated [[sexual abuse]].
* Victims of sexual abuse 1st degree.

They also deal with children, disabled and elderly victims of non-sexual crimes who require special handling. The Special Victims Division does not investigate murder or child sexual exploitation material cases. [[Murder|Murders]] are investigated by the precinct detective squad in which the murder was committed and/or the borough homicide squad. Child sexual exploitation material cases are investigated by various computer crime squads and task forces. Robberies are investigated by precinct detective squads and/or [[Boroughs of New York City|borough]] robbery squads. If a sex crime is involved, the Special Victims Division may assist in the investigation.

In June 2022, the [[United States Department of Justice|Justice Department]] announced a federal investigation into the division's "deficiencies", including “failing to conduct basic investigative steps and instead shaming and abusing survivors and re-traumatizing them during investigations.”<ref>{{cite news |last1=Barron |first1=James |title=The N.Y.P.D.’s Sex-Crimes Division Faces an Investigation |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/07/01/nyregion/nypd-sex-crimes-division-investigation.html |access-date=12 February 2024 |work=The New York Times |date=1 July 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Justice Department Announces Investigation Of New York City Police Department’s Special Victims Division |url=https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/justice-department-announces-investigation-new-york-city-police-department-s-special-victims |website=Office of Public Affairs, U.S. Department of Justice |publisher=U.S. Department of Justice |access-date=12 February 2024}}</ref>

==In popular culture==
The American television show ''[[Law & Order: Special Victims Unit]]'', the first [[Television spin-off|spin-off]] in the [[Law & Order (franchise)|''Law & Order'' franchise]], follows the cases of a fictional [[NYPD]] SVU division. Another American television show ''[[Homicide: Life on the Street]]'' makes references to the Sex Crimes Unit, another name for Special Victims Unit.

==References==
{{reflist}}

== See also ==
* [[Rape]]
* [[Laws regarding rape]]
* [[Rape shield law]] (shields rape victims from scrutiny)
* [[Serial rapist]]
* [[Major case squad]]
* [[Cold case (criminology)]]
* [[Missing person|Missing Persons Unit]]
[[Category:New York City Police Department units]]
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