Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office

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Sexual Assault Prevention and Response
Office SAPRO Chaplain Brief
Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps Manpower
Reserve Affairs (MRRS)
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Background

• The DoD Task Force on the Care for Victims of
  Sexual Assault
• Operated February April 2004
• Studied sexual assault incidents/climate in DoD,
  particularly as they might relate to a combat
  theater
• Reported out findings addressed at DoD Leadership
  summit held in September
• Briefed Services leadership to include CMC on COA
  developed at September summit 6 October
• General consensus on recommendations was agreed
  to by all Service Secretaries
• DTMs followed creating new DoD policy on sexual
  assault announced 4 January
• MCO 1752.5 will be altered to include all DTMs

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Sexual Assault vs Sexual Harassment

• Sexual Harassment is covered under Equal
  Opportunity Laws
• Sexual Assault is covered under criminal laws
  (UCMJ)

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DoD Definition of Sexual Assault

• Sexual Assault is a crime. Sexual assault is
  defined as intentional sexual contact,
  characterized by the use of force, physical
  threat or abuse of authority or when the victim
  does not or cannot consent.

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DoD Definition

• Sexual assault includes rape, nonconsensual
  sodomy (oral or anal sex), indecent assault
  (unwanted, inappropriate sexual contact or
  fondling), or attempts to commit these acts.
  Sexual assault can occur without regard to gender
  or spousal relationship or age of victim

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DoD Definition

• Consent shall not be deemed or construed to
  mean the failure by the victim to offer physical
  resistance.
• Consent is not given when a person uses force,
  threat of force, coercion or when the victim is
  asleep, incapacitated, or unconscious.

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DoD Definition

• Other sex-related offenses are defined as all
  other sexual acts or acts in violation of the
  UCMJ that do not meet the above definition of
  sexual assault, or the definition of sexual
  harassment as promulgated in DoD Directive
  1350.2, DoD Military Equal Opportunity, para
  E2.1.15. Examples of other sex-related offenses
  could include indecent acts with another and
  adultery.

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Prevalence of Sexual Assault

• Data for Marine Corps as reported by NCIS

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MCO 1752.5 Policy Guidance

• Provides clear guidance and responsibilities to
• Commanding Officers
• Provide victim reasonable protection from
  offender
• Notify PMO and SJA of allegations of sexual
  assault
• Support Victim Witness Assistance Program Ensure
  victims are provided reasonable (VWAP)
• Conduct training on sexual assault annually and
  at pre-deployment work ups
• Ensure support personnel and services are
  provided to deployed personnel (UVAs)
• Include prevention considerations in deployed
  sites

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MCO 1752.5 Policy Guidance

• Commanding officers are required to
• Protect privacy of sexual assault victims
• Limit access to documents identifying victims to
  only those with a need to know
• Fostering a command environment that encourages
  reporting without fear of reprisal
• Ensuring that the SAIRD is completed
• Publish policies on responsible alcohol use

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MCO 1752.5 Policy Guidance

• All Marine Corps personnel, including Reservist,
  must
• Eliminate behavior that violates ethos and
  tarnishes prestige of the Marine Corps
• Take appropriate action when witnessing physical,
  sexual or verbal assaults on others
• Report all incidents of sexual assault to PMO and
  the chain of command
• Notify chain of command upon learning a sexual
  assault incident occurred or is being planned

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MCO 1752.5 Policy Guidance

• All Marine Corps personnel, including Reservists,
  must
• Become familiar with available resources
• Ensure that a person who is sexually assaulted
  is
• Treated fairly, with dignity, sensitivity and
  without prejudice
• Treated in a manner that doesnt usurp control
  from victim
• Not identify victim to news media without consent
• Avoid questioning victim about the incident
  unless required in the course of official duties
  to limit re-victimization
• Maintain a climate that is respectful to all

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Commanders Role

• Appoint a Sexual Assault Response Coordinator
  (SARC) to ensure victims receive appropriate care
  and assistance
• Commanders are encouraged to trust the SARC and
  the UVAs to represent the Command with
  professionalism and accountability.

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Commanders Role

• Commanders are encouraged to defer disciplinary
  actions regarding collateral misconduct of the
  victim until after final disposition of the
  sexual assault case in order to avoid actions
  that may further traumatize the victim.

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SARCs Role

• Appointed by the Commanding Officer to represent
  the command in addressing victim needs
• Coordinates with all resources to meet the needs
  of the victim at least monthly
• Appoints UVAs to cases and oversees their
  participation in the case
• Reports to Command within 24 hours for the
  purpose of public safety and command
  responsibility, all incidents of sexual assault
  without identifying information
• Makes sure the SAIRD is completed

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Uniformed Victim Advocates

• Who are they?
• Active duty Marines
• At battalion or squadron level
• SSgt or above
• Squared away Marine
• Mature with good listening skills
• Handles crisis situations well

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Uniformed Victim Advocate

• When are they advocates?
• Only after the training as a collateral
  duty
• When there is a sexual assault victim
• Primarily in a deployed environment
• To whom do they report?
• The SARC within their Command

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Uniformed Victim Advocate

• Will have confidentiality status with sexual
  assault victims
• May provide service to victims without a formal
  report to PMO or the Command
• Encourages formal reporting as victim feels more
  comfortable with support

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Uniformed Victim Advocate

• Hands victim off
• To FAP advocate on the installation
• To another UVA if victim is transported in
  theater to a new location or to the rear
• To an agency out in town if this is the victims
  choice

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Confidentiality

• Marine Corps Victim Advocates are no longer
  mandated reporters of sexual assaults to commands
  or law enforcement
• UVAs and SARCs will have confidentiality for
  sexual assault victims choosing restricted
  reporting.

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Restricted Reporting

• Victim will be able to receive medical
  assistance, victim assistance support, and
  collection of evidence without an investigation
  being done
• If the victim decides to file a formal report
  later, an investigation will be done by NCIS
• Lack of report does not mean reduction of
  services or support

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Victim Advocates Roles

• Supporting and informing
• Facilitating victim's decision making
• Informing victim of his/her rights
• Serving as a liaison between resources
• Accompanying or staying with victim
• Offering crisis intervention
• Providing safety

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The Key Players

• UVAs
• SARCs
• Medical
• NCIS
• SJA
• Chaplain
• And always, the Command

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What is SAIRD

• Sexual Assault Incident Reporting Database
• Nine mandatory fields
• Collected as long as one party is military
• Other data is documented as available

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Mandatory Database Fields

• First initial of last name and last four of
  social (Z9999)
• Date of assault
• Report date
• Installation
• Location (barracks, ship, etc)
• Age of victim
• Gender of victim
• Allegation (sexual assault, attempt, etc)
• Gender of offender
• Other information that may be available regarding
  the offender, the victim, services offered,
  disposition, etc.

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Types of Rapist

• Anger
• Power
• Sadistic
• Undetected

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Rapist Profile Common to Military

• Type Acquaintance rapist
• Method Power and control
• Identification Known by the victim
• Method of operation Alcohol
• Offender accountability Barriers to reporting
  on the part of the victim

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Common Themes in the Military

• Alcohol use/abuse
• Acquaintance or co-worker
• Consent is muddy issue
• I didnt want to..but didnt say anything
• She didnt say no
• She said no but I thought she was kidding
• Both victim and alleged perpetrator are commonly
  junior in rank and in their 20s

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Common Themes

• Victims are young, impressionable, eager to
  belong, very sensitive to peer pressure, isolated
  from friends and family
• Eager to prove themselves
• Offenders may suffer from the shining star
  syndrome, you mean this applies to me?
• Both hear lots of dos and donts while striving
  for independence
• Both look to their immediate supervisors and
  leaders to set the tone

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Rapist Common to Military

• Non stranger sexual offenders
• Motto
• I am going to have sex tonight. If it is
  consensual, fine. But I am going to have sex
  tonight.
• Non stranger sexual offenders use instrumental vs
  gratuitous violence.
• Only that level of violence needed to accomplish
  the goal.

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Undetected Rapist(David Lisaks Research)

• Sample Question Asked of 1,882 men
• Have you ever had sexual
• intercourse with an adult when
• they didnt want to because you
• used physical force if they
• did not cooperate?

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The Frank Tape
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Lisak Research Results

• Sample Question Asked of 1,882 men
• Have you ever had sexual
• intercourse with an adult when
• they didnt want to because you
• used physical force if they
• did not cooperate?

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Acquaintance Rape

• Three stages to acquaintance rape
• Intrusion - Perpetrator encourages drinking and
  violates potential victims personal space
• Desensitization - Potential victim ignores his or
  her sixth sense
• Isolation - Perpetrator looks for ways to get
  victim alone

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Acquaintance Rape

• Common features include
• Frequently occurs after only 2 5 encounters
• Associated with alcohol
• Preceded by some type of sexual activity
• Victims are between 16 and 24 years old

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The Victims Perspective

• One of the most difficult things about
  understanding sexual assault is that some people
  see rape as bad sex. From the victims
  perspective, the act of sexual assault bears
  almost no resemblance to the act of sex. Victims
  experience sexual assault as a terrifying trauma
  where they often fear for their lives.

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Daily Life

• Ups and downs
• Speed bumps in the road of life
• Huge event happens
• Our world view changes

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Emotional Reactions to Sexual Assault

• Fear and terror
• Anger, fury, and outrage
• Confusion and frustration
• Guilt or self-blame
• Shame or humiliation
• Grief or sorrow

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Rape Trauma

• Flashbacks or traumatic memories
• May be experienced during acute or reorganization
  phase
• Sight, sound, taste, feel or smell may trigger
  flashback
• As if trauma is happening in the present rather
  than the past
• Can exhibit symptoms as if currently being
  attacked
• May be able to integrate memory/may last forever

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Rape Trauma

• Two phases
• Acute or Initial Phase - lasts a few days to a
  few weeks after attack
• Reorganization Phase- lasts a few weeks to months
  after attack

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Rape Trauma

• Compound reactions to sexual assault
• May be more withdrawn, confused, numb and
  compliant
• Higher levels of anxiety, depression and
  dissociation
• Greater likelihood of substance abuse

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Rape Trauma for Males

• Unique issues for male victims
• Often suffer profoundly from the idea that to be
  sexually assaulted is to lose one's manhood
• Often confuse sexual assault victimization with
  homosexual identity
• May request a female officer, insist that they
  were "assaulted" rather than raped (thereby
  denying the sexual component), or refuse to speak
  to a victim advocate
• May aggressively assert their masculinity or
  heterosexuality following the assault

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Dos

• Believe victim and be non-judgmental
• Limit questions and do not pressure victim to
  talk about incident
• Provide support and reassurance to victim that
  they did what they had to do to survive
• Inform victim of availability of an advocate,
  companion, chaplain, or friend to be with them
• Ask, What can I do to help?
• Explain resources and support options
• Normalize and validate feelings expressed
• Inform victim of limits of confidentiality of
  others

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Do Nots

• Show anger/rage
• Say anything that would cause victim to think you
  do not believe them
• Put words in victims mouth
• Make promises or guarantees
• Make decisions for victim
• Expect victim to readily open up and discuss
  details about incident
• Provide legal advice

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Chaplain Specific Issues

• You may know the victim and/or the
  accused.
• Friendships and prior knowledge cannot come in to
  play here.
• You may be have to minister to both parties
• We cannot make judgments in these cases.
• Keep the victim safe from the accused
• Sight/sound separation move the accused.

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Chaplain Specific Issues

• New confidential resources for warm handoff
• Supporting the Command
• Resource for the UVA and SARC
• Data resource

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Chaplain Counseling Issues

• Guilt
• Shame
• Forgiveness
• Purity
• Justice
• Health Concerns

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The Message For ALL

• Do not blame the victim!
• Hold the offender accountable for their
  inappropriate behavior!
• Encourage reporting to reduce the risk to all
  since rapist are recidivist.

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Resources

• SAPRO website
• http//www.usmc-mccs.org/perssvc/sapro/index.htm
• Jenice Staniford 703-432-9104
• jenice.staniford_at_usmc.mil
• Chaplain Jane Bingham 703-432-9075
• jane.bingham_at_usmc.mil
• Maj Douglas Alexander 703-432-9073
• douglas.alexander_at_usmc.mil
• SSgt Frank Anicoche 703-432-9074
• AnicocheF_at_manpower.usmc.mil