New help for victims of sexual assault

  • Published
  • By Capt. Joseph Coslett
  • JBER PAO
JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska --  Recently a woman was pulled into a bathroom stall and was held at knife point. Immediately following, she was raped.

She went home to her mother only to push her mother's loving advances away.
Confused, the mother inquired what happened and the daughter just broke out in tears. Not knowing the next steps, the daughter felt depressed, guilty, pain, shame, dirty, violated, scared and lost, even though she was safe and surrounded by her loved one.
This is a hypothetical story, but is based on a real-life case from the "It Happened to Alexa" Foundation.

"Events like this happen; this is a reality that most people don't get to see," said Darmaly Williams, Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson Sexual Assault Prevention and Response coordinator. "We recommend that victims report instead of focusing on trying to forget. This way they can give themselves an opportunity to heal.

"Part of our efforts to reduce the risk of sexual assault is through community education to encourage people to practice deliberate risk management. We can only hope sexual assault did not happen but the reality is that it does, so we prefer people face sexual assault as an existent problem rather than deny it."

In another common scenario, a woman and a friend went downtown for a good time. After the bars closed the friend was making unwanted advances and isolated her in the corner. Before she realized it, she was a victim of assault.

"For most cases alcohol is the weapon of choice," Williams commented. "In another similar scenario no alcohol was involved. Bottom line, rape is an act of violence, not of sexual desire."

The fiscal year 2009 annual report shows the number of sexual assaults increased by 11 percent.

Unfortunately, less than 10 percent of all sexual assaults of service members are reported to military authorities.

"Our victims are our main priority, we are stepping up efforts to give them what they need in order to go through the law enforcement, legal, medical and other processes they must face once they make an unrestricted report," she said. "We understand how hard it is to go through the process of reporting our main goals while helping victims are to maximize their comfort and minimize their exposure."

Putting the victim first is the goal of the JBER Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office moving from building 10480 to near the North Star Inn.

The new facility will offer simple ameni¬ties to assist victims, families and friends through the healing process.

"Most of the times victims are not going though this by themselves, you have a family and a unit affected by the sexual assault," Williams stressed. "Every case is unique - let me repeat - every case is unique, because people react differently to the tragedy. We just want to assure victims we are here to assist them with their recovery, but we can't help if we don't know about it."

One of the largest services SAPRO offers is restricted reporting.

Restricted reporting allows victims to report allegations of sexual assault to specified personnel (SARC, a healthcare provider, victim advocate or chaplain) without triggering an investigation. Additionally, the victim will receive private medical treatment and counseling.

"One of the most important aspects of an unrestricted report is we can give victims the opportunity to empower themselves so they can understand that the sexual assault is - never their fault," Williams said.

Other steps include SAPRO coordinator advising different units on risk mitigation steps to education and potentially reduce sexual assaults.

"Ideally, we want to create awareness so people realize that risk management is the best way to avoid a sexual assault even though nobody but the perpetrator can prevent an attack," she said. "We stand ready to serve and assist units with their program."
If you have been assaulted or think you have been, there are several steps to follow. Go to a safe location away from the attacker.

Contact the SARC at 552-3000 or 7272, and they will assign a victim advocate to help the victim get the necessary assistance.

Seek medical care as soon as possible. Preserve all evidence of the assault, do not wash, brush your teeth or use mouthwash, do not brush your hair, shower, douche, urinate, defecate (if possible), eat, drink, smoke or change your clothes or anything about the scene where the crime took place.

Finally, write down, tape or record all the details you can recall about the assault and your assailant.

"Information is power - we are here to help," Williams said. "We are here 24 hours a day, seven days a week to provide privacy, support and advocacy. Remember, sexual assault hurts one, but affects all - prevention is everyone's duty."