Sexual Harassment & Assault (Sexual or not) has no discrimination of age, race, religion or gender. It can be someone we know or a stranger. Please take the time to read this entire document and when finished, share it with your airmen. It may plant a seed of what to do and perhaps help with keeping vital evidence from being destroyed or lost. It will also help you the parent/spouse with how to respond should you get this dreaded call.
It cannot be stressed enough that we should all take the time to read this document and share the first link with our Airmen, female & male! Taking the time to discuss such an issue before it happens helps them to retain some of the information. We actually suggest that you download and send this to your Airman. Let them highlight the base and contact information for themselves.
http://www.sexualassaultpreventionresponse.af.mil/index.asp
- USAF SAPR: Sexual Assault Prevent Response
http://www.sexualassaultpreventionresponse.af.mil/library/saprprogram/index.asp
Air Force Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Program
Promote a safe, respectful, and productive work environment free from sexual innuendo, harassment, and assault is the responsibility of every Airman. The Air Force's mission depends on Airmen having complete trust and confidence in one another. Air Force core values of Integrity First, Service Before Self and Excellence In All We Do, define the standard. Sexual assault is absolutely inconsistent and incompatible with our core values, our mission, and our heritage. As such, the Sexual Assault Prevention and Response program is a priority both for ensuring readiness and taking care of our Airmen.
Headquarters Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office (AF/CVS)
The Directorate of Air Force Sexual Assault Prevention and Response, Office of the Vice Chief of Staff, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Washington, D.C., is the service's single point of accountability and oversight for sexual assault policy matters, and reports directly to the Vice Chief of Staff. As such, this 32-person office is cross functional with experts from legal, office of special investigations, mental health professional, public affairs, Sexual Assault Response Coordinators, Victim Advocates, and a research and analysis team. The SAPR Office develops policies and programs that address the service's sexual assault prevention, education, accountability, victim assistance and assessment efforts
Major Command Sexual Assault Response Coordinator
The MAJCOM SARC is responsible for administering the Sexual Assault Prevention and Response program within that MAJCOM and provides functional oversight and guidance for installation SARCs to ensure compliance with this Instruction and other applicable authority.
Installation Sexual Assault Response Coordinator
The SARC reports directly to the installation's vice commander or equivalent and executes the Air Force's Sexual Assault Prevention and Response program at the installation level. The SARC serves as the installation's single point of contact for integrating and coordinating sexual assault victim care services. Services may begin at the initial report of sexual assault and continue through disposition and resolution of issues related to the victim's health and well-being. The SARC shall assist unit commanders as necessary to ensure victims of sexual assault receive the appropriate responsive care.
- REPORT SEXUAL ASSAULT
http://www.sexualassaultpreventionresponse.af.mil/library/report/index.asp
If you have been sexually assaulted or think you may have been:
- Go to a safe location.
- Preserve all
evidence of the assault.
Do not bathe, wash your
hands or brush your
teeth. Do not clean or
straighten up the crime
scene.
- Contact your local
Sexual Assault
Response Coordinator (SARC),
or healthcare personnel.
You may also contact
your chain of command or
law enforcement
(military or civilian),
however this will limit
you to an unrestricted
report (see below) which
means an investigation
will occur.
- Seek medical care as
soon as possible. Even
if you do not have any
visible physical
injuries, you may be at
risk of becoming
pregnant or acquiring a
sexually transmitted
disease.
- Ask healthcare personnel to conduct a sexual assault forensic examination (SAFE) to preserve forensic evidence.
- If you suspect you have been drugged, request that a urine sample be collected.
- Write down, tape or record by any other means all the details you can recall about the assault and your assailant.
Reporting Options: Restricted / Unrestricted Reporting
Restricted Reporting
This option is for victims of sexual assault who wish to confidentially disclose the crime to specifically identified individuals and receive medical treatment and services without triggering the official investigative process. Service members who are sexually assaulted and desire restricted reporting under this policy must report the assault to a Sexual Assault Response Coordinator (SARC), Sexual Assault Victim Advocate (SAPR VA), Volunteer Victim Advocate (VA) or healthcare personnel.
Healthcare personnel will initiate the appropriate care and treatment, and report the sexual assault to the SARC in lieu of reporting the assault to law enforcement or the chain of command. Upon notification of a reported sexual assault, the SARC will immediately assign an advocate to the victim. The assigned Victim Advocate will provide accurate information on the process of restricted and/or unrestricted reporting.
At the victim's discretion/request an appropriately trained healthcare personnel shall conduct a sexual assault forensic examination (SAFE), which may include the collection of evidence. In the absence of a Department of Defense provider, the Service member will be referred to an appropriate civilian facility for the SAFE.
Who May Make A Restricted Report?
Restricted reporting is available to:
- Military personnel
of the Armed Forces and
the Coast Guard.
Military personnel
include members on
active duty and members
of the Reserve component
(Reserve and National
Guard) provided they are
performing federal duty
(active duty training or
inactive duty training
and members of the
National Guard in
Federal (Title 10)
status).
- Military dependents 18 years of age and older who are eligible for treatment in the military healthcare system, at installations in the continental United States (CONUS) and outside of the continental United States (OCONUS), and who were victims of sexual assault perpetrated by someone other than a spouse or intimate partner may make a Restricted Report. Retired members of any component are not eligible. Members of the Reserve Component not performing Federal duty are not eligible. Department of Defense civilian employees are not eligible.
Considerations when Electing a Restricted Report
- You receive appropriate medical treatment, advocacy, and counseling.
- Provides some
personal space and time
to consider your options
and to begin the healing
process.
- Empowers you to seek
relevant information and
support to make more
informed decisions about
participating in the
criminal investigation.
- You control the
release and management
of your personal
information.
- You decide whether and when to move forward with initiating an investigation.
Unrestricted Reporting
This option is for victims of sexual assault who desire medical treatment, referral services and an official investigation of the crime. When selecting unrestricted reporting, you should use current reporting channels, e.g. chain of command, law enforcement or report the incident to the Sexual Assault Response Coordinator (SARC), or request healthcare personnel to notify law enforcement. Upon notification of a reported sexual assault, the SARC will immediately assign a Sexual Assault Victim Advocate (SAPR VA). At the victim's discretion/request, healthcare personnel shall conduct a sexual assault forensic examination (SAFE), which may include the collection of evidence. Details regarding the incident will be limited to only those personnel who have a legitimate need to know.
Who May Make An Unrestricted Report?
Unrestricted reporting is available to:
- All Service members and their Dependents over the age of 18
- DoD Civilians and their Dependents over the age of 18(MTF access serving in an OS location)
- Contractors (If supporting in a contingency location)
Note:
Additional Restricted and Unrestricted Reporting considerations can be further be discussed with your Sexual Assault Response Coordinator or SAPR VA.
Persons who have been sexually assaulted, but are not eligible for restricted or unrestricted reporting under these rules, are encouraged to report the assault to civilian or military law enforcement agencies.
Role of the Sexual Assault Response Coordinator
The Sexual Assault Response Coordinator (SARC) is considered the center of gravity when it comes to ensuring that victims of sexual assault receive appropriate and responsive care. They serve as the single point of contact to coordinate sexual assault victim care. The term Sexual Assault Response Coordinator (SARC) is a standardized term utilized throughout the Department of Defense and the Services to facilitate communication and transparency regarding sexual assault response capability.
Role of the Sexual Assault Victim Advocate
The Sexual Assault Victim Advocate (SAPR VA) provides essential support and care to the victim to include providing non-clinical information on available options and resources to assist the victim in making informed decisions as they progress through resolution and healing. The SAPR VA maintains communications and contact with victim as needed for continued victim support.
- SAPR RESOURCES:
You will need to click this link for the hyperlinks listed below.
http://www.sexualassaultpreventionresponse.af.mil/library/saprpolicyandresources.asp
The DoD Instruction provides details on what the SAPR program should contain for the Department and Military Services.
- DoD Instruction 6495.02 - Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Program Procedures (2.6 MB)
- Air Force Policy Directive 36-60 - Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Program
- Air Force Instruction 36-6001 - Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Program
- Judge Advocate General's Corps - Sexual Assault Prosecution
- 2013 Department of Defense Annual Report on Sexual Assault in the Military
- 2012 Workplace and Gender Relations Survey of Active Duty Members
- 2012 Service Academy Survey
- 2010 Workplace and Gender Relations Survey of Active Duty Members
- 2010 Service Academy Survey
- 2010 Gallup Findings of Sexual Assault in the Air Force
- 2006 Workplace and Gender Relations Survey of Active Duty Members
- Presidential Proclamation--National Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month
- DoD SAPR
- DoD Safe Helpline
- Military One Source
- National Sexual Violence Resource Center
- NCDSV (National Center on Domestic and Sexual Violence)
- National Resource Directory
- Victim Care
- First Responder Training
- Community Awareness
- Humanitarian Flow Chart
- Expedited Transfer
- Fostering Air Force Cultural Intolerance of Sexual Assault
- Air Force SAPR Communication Toolkit
- Sexual Assault & Prevention - Wing Commanders' Guide
- Maximizing the Impact of Mentorship
- Effectively Engaging Your Wing in Sexual Assault Prevention
- A Broader Understanding of Bystander Intervention
- Secondary Victimization Implications for Sexual Assault Reporting
- The Importance of Overseeing the Case Management Process