About SPARK
SPARK exists to change the way intimate partner sexual assault is understood, investigated, and prosecuted.
Too often these cases are dismissed as “too complicated,” “too emotional,” or “too difficult to prove.” Survivors are told that if the abuse happened within a relationship, the law cannot help them.
That belief is wrong.
SPARK provides education, resources, and advocacy focused specifically on intimate partner sexual assault — one of the most misunderstood forms of violence. Through training, research, and survivor-centered education, SPARK works to close the gap between what the law says and how these cases are actually handled.
The Problem
Why This Work Matters
Most sexual assaults are committed by someone the victim knows. Many occur within ongoing relationships. Yet these cases remain some of the least likely to be investigated or prosecuted.
Survivors often face barriers such as:
- disbelief from authorities
- misunderstandings about trauma and victim behavior
- myths about consent within relationships
- prosecutorial reluctance to pursue complex cases
- lack of trauma-informed investigative practices
These systemic problems allow dangerous offenders to avoid accountability while survivors are left without justice. SPARK was created to challenge the idea that these cases are unwinnable.
Our Mission
We work to:
- educate the public about the realities of relationship-based sexual violence
- provide accessible resources for survivors and advocates
- train legal and law enforcement professionals in trauma-informed approaches
- challenge misconceptions that prevent these cases from being taken seriously
- support efforts that strengthen accountability and survivor protection
SPARK’s mission is to improve the response to intimate partner sexual assault through education, awareness, and practical training.
Our goal is simple: to ensure that the justice system is equipped to handle these cases the way the law intends.
Education and Training
Education and Professional Training
One of the most powerful ways to improve outcomes in sexual assault cases is education.
The goal is not just awareness — it is practical knowledge that can improve real investigations and real cases.
SPARK develops educational programs designed for:
- law enforcement officers
- prosecutors and legal professionals
- advocates and victim service providers
- students and community members
These courses explore topics such as:
- trauma bonding and coercive control
- neurobiology of trauma
- victim behavior and delayed reporting
- investigative challenges in relationship-based sexual assault
- prosecutorial barriers and case law
Survivor-Centered Advocacy
Survivor-Centered Advocacy
Survivors of intimate partner sexual assault often face unique challenges. Many are navigating ongoing relationships, shared communities, financial dependence, or fear of retaliation.
SPARK promotes an approach that centers survivor dignity, autonomy, and safety.
This includes:
- providing clear educational information about rights and legal processes
- addressing common misconceptions about survivor behavior
- advocating for trauma-informed practices in investigations and prosecutions
- amplifying survivor voices to bring attention to systemic barriers
Survivors deserve to be heard — and believed.
Survivor-Centered Advocacy
Survivors of intimate partner sexual assault often face unique challenges. Many are navigating ongoing relationships, shared communities, financial dependence, or fear of retaliation.
SPARK promotes an approach that centers survivor dignity, autonomy, and safety.
This includes:
- providing clear educational information about rights and legal processes
- addressing common misconceptions about survivor behavior
- advocating for trauma-informed practices in investigations and prosecutions
- amplifying survivor voices to bring attention to systemic barriers
Survivors deserve to be heard — and believed.
Why SPARK Exists
Why SPARK Was Created
SPARK was founded out of the recognition that relationship-based sexual violence is widely misunderstood — even within systems meant to address it.
Too often, cases are dismissed not because the law does not apply, but because the dynamics of intimate partner abuse are poorly understood.
SPARK exists to bridge that gap.
By combining survivor experience, research, and legal analysis, SPARK works to illuminate the realities of these cases and push for a justice system that is better equipped to handle them.
How You Can Help
How You Can Support This Work
Changing systems takes resources, awareness, and community support.
- sharing educational materials
- supporting survivor-centered advocacy
- contributing to training and research efforts
- helping expand public awareness of intimate partner sexual assault
Your support helps ensure that these conversations continue and that education reaches the people who need it most.
Justice Should Not Depend on Who the Offender Is
Sexual assault within relationships is real. It is serious. And it deserves the same attention and accountability as any other violent crime.
SPARK is committed to bringing these cases into the light — and ensuring that survivors are not ignored simply because the abuse occurred within a relationship.