New SAPR guidance details reporting options for victims of sexual assault Published June 19, 2015 By Angela Woolen Robins Public Affairs ROBINS AIR FORCE BASE, Ga. -- The issue of retaliation in a sexual abuse case is so important the findings of an ongoing study will be described in President Barack Obama's presidential report in December. New guidance for Sexual Abuse Response Coordinators came out in May describing how to respond if a victim is being retaliated against for telling of abuse. "What the Department of Defense and the Air Force were concerned about was people who come forward are somehow retaliated against by not getting jobs and promotions, or by their friends and peers," said Cindy Graver, Robins SARC. Retaliation is described in Air Force instructions as "the taking or threatening to take an adverse personnel action ... because the member reported a criminal offense." The guidance goes on to define retaliation as ostracizing or poor treatment of a military member to discourage reporting an incident. Each month, the SARC personnel meet with the victim to discuss the ongoing recovery. A questionnaire is given to the victim so he or she may voluntarily answer questions about possible retaliation which has occurred in the workplace both professionally and socially. The information may be kept private, according to the victim's wishes. Previously, commanders discussed retaliation with victims. In the new memorandum, victims will discuss retaliation with SARC, Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Victim Advocates or volunteer victim advocates. "Retaliation prevents a victim from safely recovering from sexual assault," the memorandum states. The Case Management Group tracks the complaints where the victim decides to report on the retaliation. All the people involved in the case are present to hear updates about the case. Case Management Group members can include the Office of Special Investigations, legal representation, the victim's leadership, medical personnel, a person from the chapel, security forces, commanders and special victim's counsel. Under the new procedures for reporting retaliation, the SARC office will also be protected from retaliation for performing their duties. In the fiscal 2014 Department of Defense Report to the President, 5,983 reports of sexual abuse were filed - up from 5,518 in 2013. In the report, the DOD also stated it was concerned about the high rate of perceived retaliation which was 62 percent in a survey for women conducted in 2014. Nearly 560,000 service members participated in the 2014 study, making it the largest study of sexual abuse and harassment the military had ever conducted, according to the report. Each base around the globe will report on retaliation. Since the new rules came out in May, no one at Robins has filed a retaliation report. Victims have different options for reporting a retaliation incident. It could be kept confidential or the person could make a retaliation report to command, OSI or the inspector general. "This is just one more thing that will help change the mindset. We have to be respectful and mindful," Graver said.