Transcript Understanding Sexual Assault Short Brief

Understanding Sexual
Assault
USMC Annual Sexual Assault
Prevention Training
Overview
• Marine Corps Order 1752.5
• Sexual Assault Defined
• Common Myths
• Offender Characteristics
• Sexual Assault Trauma Syndrome
• Risk Reduction Suggestions
• Reporting Procedures
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Marine Corps Order 1752.5
• Zero tolerance for sexual assault
• Sexual assault is a criminal act
• Victims have access to appropriate
assistance
• Perpetrators of sexual assault will be
prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law
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Impact on Readiness
• Diminishes the reputation and prestige
of the Marine Corps
• Creates serious morale problems
• Destroys esprit de corps
• Trauma for victims can create short-term
as well as life-long problems
• Impacts everyone in the unit
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DoD Definition
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.
Sexual Assault
is a Crime
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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
• 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
• Is not the same as sexual harassment
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Sexual Assault Includes:
• Rape
• Sodomy
• Indecent Assault
• Any attempt of the above acts
All Forms of Sexual
Assault are Crimes
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In the Civilian World
• Every two minutes, someone is
sexually assaulted in the United States
• One out of six women (18%) and one
out of 33 men (3%) are assaulted
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Sexual Assault in Society
•
Wisconsin Teen Survey—2000
– 18 % said if a guy buys a girl dinner, he has the right to have
sex with her
– 42% believe if a girl or guy have been drinking & are a little
drunk, it isn’t sexual assault if he forces her to have sex
– 44% believe if there was prior consensual sex, it is not
assault if he forces her later
– 48% said that if a female consented and then later changed
her mind and he had sex with her anyway, it wasn’t assault
•
Boston High School Student Survey—2002
– 7% of males ok to force female to have sex on a date
– 11% ok if girl was drunk
– 15% ok to use force if girl consented and then changed mind
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Common Themes in the Military
• Alcohol use/abuse – Majority of incidents
• Acquaintance or co-worker
• Consent is a muddy issue
– “I didn’t want to..but didn’t say anything”
– “She didn’t say ‘no’”
– “She said ‘no’ but I thought she was
kidding…”
• Both victim and alleged perpetrator are
commonly junior in rank and in their 20’s
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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 do’s and don’ts while
striving for independence
• Both look to their immediate supervisors
and leaders to set the tone
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Did You Know the
Facts?
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Myth or Fact?
1. Sexual Assault is a crime of passion
2. The sex offenders are usually a
stranger lurking in a dark alley
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Myth or Fact?
3. Offenders tend to target those who
look vulnerable and easily intimidated,
regardless of their age, physical
attributes, or dress.
4. Women secretly want to be sexually
assaulted.
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Who Are The Offenders?
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Offender Characteristics
• 49.9% perceived to be between 21-29
years of age
• 71% perceived to be under the
influence of alcohol
• 84.5% of cases involved no weapon
other than hands, fists or feet
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Offenders
• Can and do look like "any one“
• Could be of any rank, any race, any age,
a top performer, outstanding athlete, or
the "good" Samaritan who offers help
• Is the “good looking” Marine you meet
• A fellow Marine or co-worker
• Former intimate partner
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Reminders for Evaluating Risk
• A well-liked or squared away Marine
does not mean the accused is telling
the truth
• Engaging in high risk behaviors does
not mean the victim is lying or was
“deserving” of the assault
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The Undetected Offender:
Non- Stranger
Motto:
“I am going to have sex tonight. If it is
consensual, fine. But I am going to have
sex tonight.”
• Uses only the level of violence or
force actually needed to reach the
goal of having sex.
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Sample question asked of
1,882 men:
“Have you ever had sexual
intercourse with an adult when they
didn’t want to because you used
physical force if they did not
cooperate?”
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Video
• The Frank Tape
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Dr. David Lisak’s Research
Results
• 1,882 men assessed, 120 were by
definition, a rapist
• More than 10% committed sexual
assaults
• Only one case was reported
• 483 total sexual assaults
• Average of four sexual assaults per
offender
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Types of Sexual Assault
• Non-Stranger
• Stranger
• Gang
• Male
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Putting the Challenges
into Context
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Sexual Assault Trauma
Syndrome
• Victims have common reactions to
sexual trauma
• Reactions can be physical and
emotional
• Reactions are sometimes
misinterpreted
• Victims can be revictimized or
retraumatized
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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" (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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Is Sexual Assault
Preventable?
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Risk Reduction Tips
• Know where you are at all times
• Act like you know where you are going
• Communicate your needs and wishes
clearly
• Be assertive
• Avoid isolated situations and secluded
places
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Risk Reduction Tips
• Use the buddy system
• Trust your gut instincts or intuition
• Be aware that the use of drugs or alcohol
increases vulnerability (but does not
cause sexual assault)
• Always watch your drink and never leave
it unattended. Don’t accept beverages
from someone you don’t know or trust.
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The message for Female
Marines:
• Be clear with the men in your life about
what, if any, sexual behavior you are
consenting to
• Speak up if anything makes you feel
uncomfortable
• Practice situational awareness and if you
feel uncomfortable or uneasy, get out
• Always watch your drink and never leave
it unattended. Don’t accept beverages
from someone you don’t know or trust.
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The message for Female
Marines:
• Important questions to consider:
– What is his “reputation” among his
peers or coworkers? Is he known as a
“ladies man”?
– Does his group of male friends have a
reputation for sexual conquests?
– Has he ever been accused of sexual
misconduct?
– Does he have a reputation for trying to
get his dates drunk?
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The message for Male Marines:
• Never assume to know what a woman wants.
Check all sexual activity out verbally. If you feel
you are getting a double message, say so. If she
says she is not sure, assume the answer is “no”
and let it go.
• If a woman says “maybe,” but then decides “no,”
take no for an answer.
• Never think a woman owes you sex, under any
circumstances.
• Accept a woman’s decision when she says “no.”
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The message for Male Marines:
• Understand that if a woman is under
the influence and you have sex with
her without her consent, it is still
sexual assault:
Unconscious Victim + Sexual Penetration = Sexual Assault
Incapacitated Victim + Sexual Penetration = Sexual Assault
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The message for Male Marines:
• Without a clear yes, pressing on can
result in:
– Tarnished image with peers, family, coworkers, and unit
– Emotional strain of being accused
– Stress of investigation
– Potential legal consequences
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As a Leader
• Create a climate that is respectful to all
• Become thoroughly familiar with Marine
Corps policy regarding sexual assault
• Do not allow the behavior of a few to
tarnish the prestige of the Marine Corps
• Interrupt inappropriate behavior
• Cut off sexually demeaning story-telling,
joking or bantering.
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Leader (Continued)
• Hold all accountable for sexually
demeaning and aggressive behavior
• Report all incidents of sexual assault to
the Provost Marshal Office (PMO)
• Become familiar with the resources in
your community
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The Message for All
Alcohol and drug use on the part of the
offender and/or the victim is one of the
most important factors that contribute to
acquaintance/date rape
Drink responsibly!
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Reporting a Suspected
Sexual Assault
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Mandatory Reporting
• All Marines are mandatory reporters of
actual, suspected, or alleged sexual
assaults
• Exception: Uniformed Victim Advocates
(UVAs), Sexual Assault Response
Coordinators (SARCs), Chaplains, and
DoD Medical Personnel.
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Reporting Options
• Unrestricted
– PMO, CDO
– NCIS
– An active duty member
• Restricted Reporting
–
–
–
–
–
UVA
“Restricted Reporting” means
that a victim can receive
SARC
advocacy support, medical treatment,
Medical
and counseling services without
triggering an investigation.
Chaplain
M&FS Counselors
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If you or someone you know
has been sexually assaulted
• Get to a safe place
• Call a victim advocate who can help you
• Preserve evidence
• Get medical attention
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Victim Assistance
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Contact Information
• Help is available 24 hours, 7 days a week
and 365 days a year for victims of sexual
assault – Military One Source 800-342-9647
• Contact the local Marine & Family Services,
BAS, CSH, or local MTF for assistance
during duty hours
• After duty hours contact the local Military
Police (unrestricted reports) or Military One
Source (restricted reports), who will refer
you to a Victim Advocate for assistance and
support
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Uniformed Victim Advocates
• UVAs represent the command as an advocate
24/7, as a collateral duty to support military
victims of sexual assault
• All of the following are required to provide a
minimum 2 UVAs:
– Deployable Battalions, Squadrons, and
Equivalent Size Commands
– Marine Forces Reserve
– Training & Education Commands
• UVAs provide initial support and a warm
handoff to an installation Victim Advocate for
ongoing case management
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Sexual Assault Hotlines
National Sexual Violence Resource Center
877-739-3895 (toll free)
(24 hour access to information, resources, and
research regarding sexual assault)
Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN)
635-B Pennsylvania Avenue, SE
Washington, DC 20003
800-656-HOPE
(Note: This number will connect you to your local
rape crisis center.)
Military One Source
CONUS: 800-342-9647
OCONUS: 800-237-42374
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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 sex offenders continue to
assault until they are caught.
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Understanding Sexual Assault
Questions?
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Acknowledgements
Successfully Investigating Acquaintance Sexual Assault:
A National Training Manual for Law Enforcement, 2001
Violence Against Women Online Resources
http://www.vaw.umn.edu/documents/acquaintsa/acquaintsa.html
Bureau or Justice Statistics
http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/
National Sexual Violence Resource Center
http://www.nsvrc.org/
Office of Victims of Crime
http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ovc/
SAPRO WEBSITE:
http://www.usmc-mccs.org/sapro/index
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Resources
• Ray Bruneau, Section Head, (703) 432-9104
– [email protected]
• Maj Alexander, Training Coordinator, (703) 432-9073
– [email protected]
• Sgt McPherson, Data Coordinator, (703) 432-9074
– [email protected]
• Parisa Fetherson, Advocate Spec, (703) 432-9466
– [email protected]
• Penny Parsons, Admin Asst, (703) 432-9072
– [email protected]
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