Military Rape Crisis Center

 

ALCOAST 346/10
COMDTNOTE 1754
SUBJ: SEXUAL ASSAULT PREVENTION AND RESPONSE (SAPR) PROGRAM
POLICY REVISIONS
A. SEXUAL ASSAULT PREVENTION AND RESPONSE PROGRAM (SAPRP), COMDTINST

1754.10 (SERIES)

1. THIS ALCOAST UPDATES POLICY IN REF A.

2. ALL PERSONNEL FULFILLING THE ROLE OF A SEXUAL ASSAULT RESPONSE

COORDINATOR (SARC), (E.G., EMPLOYEE ASSISTANCE PROGRAM

COORDINATORS(EAPC) AND FAMILY ADVOCACY SPECIALISTS (FAS)), MUST

RECEIVE, AT A MINIMUM, AN INITIAL TWENTY-FOUR HOURS OF COAST GUARD

SPECIFIC SARC TRAINING WITHIN ONE YEAR OF THIS POLICY CHANGE OR THEIR

HIRING, AND A MINIMUM OF EIGHT HOURS ANNUALLY THEREAFTER. ALL SARCS

MUST ALSO COMPLETE A COAST GUARD SPECIFIC VICTIM ADVOCATE (VA)

TRAINING WITHIN ONE YEAR OF THIS POLICY CHANGE OR THEIR HIRING.

CERTIFICATES OF COMPLETION FOR BOTH OF THESE COURSES ARE REQUIRED IN

ORDER FOR THE SARC TO BE QUALIFIED TO FACILITATE VA TRAININGS.

3. RESTRICTED REPORTING IS ONLY AN OPTION WHEN THE ASSAULT IS

DISCLOSED TO AN EAPC/SARC OR FAS FROM THE HEALTH, SAFETY AND

WORK-LIFE (HSWL) FIELD OFFICE, A VA OR A HEALTH CARE PROVIDER(HCP).

CHAPLAINS MAINTAIN THE SAME PRIVILEGE (ABSOLUTE AND TOTAL

CONFIDENTIALITY) THEY HAVE ALWAYS HAD AND DO NOT MANAGE PAPERWORK OR

CASES. IF A SEXUAL ASSAULT IS DISCLOSED TO ANY OTHER ACTIVE DUTY

SERVICE MEMBER OR TO LAW ENFORCEMENT, THE REPORT MUST BE

UNRESTRICTED. CIVILIAN FAMILY AND FRIENDS MAY ACT AS A NATURAL

SUPPORT SYSTEM BUT MUST UNDERSTAND THAT THE INCIDENT CANNOT BE

DISCLOSED TO ANYONE OTHER THAN THE AFOREMENTIONED. UNRESTRICTED

REPORTING ALLOWS FOR COMMAND PROTECTIONS AND INVESTIGATION OF THE

CRIME, BUT VICTIMS ALWAYS HAVE THE OPTION OF NOT PARTICIPATING WITH

AN INVESTIGATION TO PURSUE PROSECUTION.

4. RESTRICTED REPORTING IS NOW AN OPTION FOR MEMBERS ASSIGNED TO

AFLOAT UNITS. A VICTIM NO LONGER HAS TO BE IN THEIR HOME PORT OR HAVE

A MEDICAL OFFICER (MO) ON BOARD IN ORDER TO HAVE A RESTRICTED REPORT.

THE TYPE OF AFLOAT UNIT THE MEMBER IS ASSIGNED TO MAY AFFECT THE

MEDICAL AND EMOTIONAL SUPPORT AVAILABLE, AS NOT ALL AFLOAT UNITS HAVE

AN MO, INDEPENDENT DUTY HEALTH SERVICES TECHNICIAN (IDHS) OR VA

ONBOARD. FOR THIS REASON IT IS STRONGLY RECOMMENDED THAT ALL AFLOAT

UNITS HAVE A TRAINED VA ON BOARD. AN MO OR IDHS ARE HCPS AND ARE

THEREFORE ABLE TO ACCEPT RESTRICTED REPORTS (SAME AS SARCS AND VICTIM

ADVOCATES), BUT ONLY MEDICAL OFFICERS ARE ABLE TO COLLECT FORENSIC

EVIDENCE. IF ASSIGNED TO AN AFLOAT UNIT THAT DOES NOT HAVE AN MO, A

VICTIM MIGHT PREFER TO CHOOSE UNRESTRICTED REPORTING IN ORDER TO BE

REMOVED FROM THE UNIT SO FORENSIC EVIDENCE CAN BE OBTAINED FOR

POTENTIAL PROSECUTION. A VICTIM HAS THE OPTION OF REQUESTING A

RESTRICTED REPORT UPON A PORT ARRIVAL IF THEIR AFLOAT UNIT DOES NOT

HAVE A TRAINED VA, MO, OR IDHS, BUT THAT CHOICE MAY AFFECT THE

ABILITY TO COLLECT FORENSIC EVIDENCE IN A TIMELY FASHION (OR TO

RECEIVE OTHER SERVICES) AS THE COMMAND WILL NOT KNOW ABOUT THE SEXUAL

ASSAULT.

5. THESE POLICY CHANGES WILL BE REFLECTED IN UPCOMING REVISIONS TO

REF A.

6. POC: MS. SHAWN WREN, COMDT (CG-1112), 202-475-5163 OR

EMAIL:SHAWN.M.WREN(AT)USCG.MIL.

7. RELEASED BY RADM MARK TEDESCO, DIRECTOR OF HEALTH, SAFETY AND

WORK-LIFE.

8. INTERNET RELEASE AUTHORIZED.