Ed. Note: This story is the second of several in a continuing series that looks at how sexual assault investigations are conducted in the Santa Clarita Valley, looking at local resources, law enforcement and community involvement.

A veteran investigator of sex crimes in Santa Clarita discussed concerns created by coverage and social media, as part of an ongoing KHTS News series.

Concerns with media involvement, and particularly, social media, have exploded during the last 12 years of Sgt. Brian Hudson’s work with the Special Victims Unit, he said Tuesday.

“The best way to put it is, we’ve adapted to dealing with social media,” Hudson said, discussing concerns and the many ways it can interfere with an investigation. “And it has its obstacles, but we’ve overcome them.”

From a previous story: Alleged Rape At COC Prompts Talk About Santa Clarita Resources For Sexual Assault Victims

Hudson experienced a prime example of how social media could potentially hinder an investigation last year, when a teacher was accused of having an inappropriate relationship with a student.

“The information got out on a Thursday,” Hudson said, “and by Sunday night, the victim had been so savagely attacked on social media that the person contacted the Sheriff’s Department and said they didn’t want to go through with the investigation.”

Ultimately, the victim decided to go forward with the prosecution after talking with detectives in the Special Victims Unit, Hudson said.

The phenomenon leads to attacks, often referred to as a form of victim shaming, because people will “pick sides in a case,” Hudson said.

Information generally gets out one of three ways: the Special Victims Bureau sometimes puts information out to the public in scenarios where more information is sought, to aid in the investigation, which can lead to individuals becoming identified.

“As far as when cases are in the media, we make it a habit to let the victims know that if the case is going to be in the media, we let people know ahead of time,” Hudson said. “As it pertains to social media — that’s a whole different animal.”

When information about an investigation gets on social media, it’s not typically from a Sheriff’s Department official, Hudson said. It’s often leaked by someone with limited information, a partial truth or a rumor, and potentially creates a number of challenges with respect to an investigation.

“It does create obstacles for our investigators,” he said, “and we deal with it on a daily basis.”

One practical challenge is the potential for undue influence, he explained.

“We could have possible witnesses that we haven’t talked to yet,” Hudson said, “and when we interview witnesses, we want the facts and we want the truth and we don’t want (rumors and lies from social media).”

He also issued a caution to anyone considering a comment regarding a crime victim, because victim-shaming is the same as cyber-bullying, which is a misdemeanor charge.

Detectives are aware of and sensitive to the challenges of social media and pressures that a victim can face, Hudson said.

When cases do become public due to a third way, which is often from public record searches by the media (Special Victims cases are rarely publicized by the investigative unit, unless specific information is sought or a public safety concern is apparent), detectives often tell the victim to stay off social media, which can be a challenge, especially for younger victims.

“We explain to them that this is something that will pass, these attacks, but more importantly, ignore what’s being said,” Hudson explained.

“We know the truth, the victim knows the truth and we want to get justice for the victim,” Hudson said.

“We have to disregard (rumors on social media) and investigate the case at our discretion,” Hudson added. “It doesn’t impact how quickly we’ll investigate a case. The bottom line is, we’ll be thorough. If a victim has been sexually assaulted or victimized, it’s about getting justice for this victim.”

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