Sexual Assault: "Sexual assault" is defined as intentional sexual contact, characterized by use of force, threats, intimidation, abuse of authority, or when the victim does not or cannot consent. The term includes a broad category of sexual offenses consisting of the following specific UCMJ offenses: rape, sexual assault, aggravated sexual contact, abusive sexual contact, forcible sodomy (forced oral or anal sex), or attempts to commit any of these acts. - (DoDI 6495.01)

Consent: “Consent” is defined as freely given agreement to the sexual conduct at issue by a competent person. An expression of lack of consent through words or conduct means there is no consent. Lack of verbal or physical resistance or submission resulting from the use of force, threat of force, or placing another person in fear does not constitute consent. A current or previous dating or social or sexual relationship by itself or the manner of dress of the person involved with the accused in the sexual conduct at issue shall not constitute consent. There is no consent where the person is sleeping or incapacitated, such as due to age, alcohol or drugs, or mental incapacity. A sleeping, unconscious, or incompetent person cannot consent.  - (DoDI 6495.01)

Restricted Reporting aallows sexual assault victims to confidentially disclose the assault to specified individuals (i.e., Sexual Assault Response Coordinator (SARC), Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Victim Advocate (SAPR VA)/Volunteer Victim Advocate (VVA), Chaplains or healthcare personnel), and receive medical treatment, including emergency care, counseling, and assistance from a SARC and SAPR VA/VAA, without triggering an investigation. It is intended to give the victim (survivor) time and control over the release of their information. Further, it also empowers the survivor to make an informed decision about participating in the CATCH program or eventually in the criminal investigation/legal process.

Restricted Reporting is available for all service members and their dependents over the age of 18, and civilians regardless of duty station.

Unrestricted Reporting is any report of sexual assault made to the SARC, SAPR VA/VAA, healthcare personnel, chain-of-command, law enforcement, legal personnel or a chaplain. Details about the incident will be limited to only those personnel who have a legitimate need to know. With the victim/survivor's consent, Maine hospitals will share identifying information to law enforcement regarding the sexual assault forensic exam. This reporting option triggers an investigation, command notification, and allows a person who has been sexually assaulted to access medical treatment and counseling. Additional benefits of an Unrestricted Report include requesting an Expedited Transfer for victim or the offender, assistance with gaining a protection order, and filing for Victim Compensation Benefits.

Unrestricted Reporting is available for:
- All service members and their dependents over the age of 18
- DoD civilians and their dependents over the age of 18 (Military Treatment Facility access and/or serving in an overseas location)
- Contractors (if supporting in a contingency location outside the continental United States)

Independent Reporting is an assault reported by someone other than the victim.

Can I Change from Restricted to Unrestricted? Yes. You may change a Restricted Report to an Unrestricted Report at any time. This may provide personal space and time to consider your options in order to make a more informed decision. Please discuss how to do this with your SARC SAPR VA, or VAA.

Many victims of sexual assault stay silent, believing nothing will be done if they come forward, fearing ridicule, gossip, exclusion, and even damage to their military careers. But if you have been sexually assaulted, it's important to act quickly. Seeking help and speaking out is the best way to ensure you receive the assistance you need to heal from the incident and prevent another incident from happening to someone else. Victims of sexual assault can report an incident and decide (if no one else knows about the incident) to just receive services and may initiate an investigation.

Whether or not you're not sure your experience meets the criteria for sexual assault, follow the steps below just in case:
- Get to a safe location away from the reported offender as soon as you can.
- If you need immediate medical treatment, or are in life-threatening danger, dial 911.
- Call the DoD Safe Helpline: 877-995-5247

DoD Safe Helpline is a crisis support service for adult service members of the DoD community affected by sexual assault and those who care about them. Safe Helpline provides live, one-on-one expert advice and information worldwide. Available 24/7, users can "click, call or text" for anonymous and confidential support.

Call: 877-995-5247
Click: www.SafeHelpline.org
Text: Texting their location to 55-247 in the US and 202-470-5546 outside the U.S. allows users to receive automated contact info for the SARC at their installation.

If users want to access resources within the DoD, Safe Helpline personnel will connect them with the local Sexual Assault Response Coordinator (SARC)/On-call Victim Advocate (VA) or other military resources of their choosing. Should users not want to access DoD resources, they will be connected to one of 1,100 affiliated civilian sexual assault service providers.

Get to a safe location away from the reported offender.

Preserve the evidence:
- Do not change your clothes or shower
- Do not clean the room or assault site
- Do not eat, drink or brush your teeth
- Do not urinate

Seek medical attention if necessary - even if you do not have any visible physical injuries, you may be at risk of becoming pregnant or acquiring a sexually transmitted infections.

Write down as many details of the assault as you can.

Go to a medical treatment facility (MTF) or local hospital as soon as possible and ask for a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner ("SANE"). Have a Sexual Assault Forensic Exam (SAFE) done, which will collect evidence against the alleged subject reported offender. If you suspect you have been drugged, request that a urine sample be collected. You may also want to be tested for STIs.

Ask for a Victim Advocate, who may be assigned from different unit or service. If you are deployed, ask for a SARC or SAPR VA at the nearest clinic.
If you were assaulted two days ago or longer, t is still time to get assistance and support. Follow as many of the steps above as you can and seek help from your SARC or SAPR VA.

Service members interested in becoming a Maine National Guard Sexual Assault Victim Advocate should contact the JFHQ SARC or the Wing SARC for more information.

Be an Active Bystander – Intervention
This approach encourages people to identify situations that might lead to a sexual assault and then safely intervene to prevent an assault from occurring. Active Bystander Intervention discourages victim blaming by switching the focus of prevention to what a community of people can do collectively. This approach also allows for a change in cultural expectations by empowering everyone to say or do something when they see inappropriate or harmful behavior. This method of intervention places the responsibility of sexual assault prevention on everyone, regardless of gender/sexual orientation.

How to Intervene
-Recognize when to intervene. Some people might be concerned that they are being encouraged to place themselves in jeopardy to stop crimes in progress. This is not the case. There are many situations and events that occur prior to a sexual assault that are appropriate for intervention. Active bystander intervention encourages people to watch for those behaviors and situations that appear to be inappropriate, coercive and harassing.
-Consider whether the situation needs attention. The Department of Defense has chosen to link "duty" with sexual assault prevention. Service members need to understand that it is their moral duty to pay attention to situations that put their friends and co-workers at risk.
-Decide if there is a responsibility to act. A great deal of research has been done to understand the conditions that encourage people to get involved. There are situational factors that influence a person's willingness to act. These include the presence of other witnesses, the uncertainty of the situation, the apparent level of danger or risk to the victim, and the setting of the event. Personal characteristics of the bystander also contribute to a decision to act.

Help Someone You Know
When choosing what form of assistance to use, there are a variety of ways to intervene. Some of them are direct, and some of them are less obvious to the offender:
-Making up an excuse to get a friend/co-worker out of a potentially dangerous situation.
-Letting a friend or co-worker know that their actions may lead to serious consequences.
-Never leaving their side, despite the efforts of someone to get them alone or away from you.
-Using a group of friends to remind someone behaving inappropriately that his or her behavior should be respectful.
-Taking steps to curb someone's use of alcohol before problems occur.
-Calling the authorities when the situation warrants.

Safety is paramount in active bystander intervention. Usually, intervening in a group is safer than intervening individually. Also, choosing a method of intervention that de-escalates the situation is safer than attempting a confrontation. However, there is no single rule that can account for every situation. Service members must use good judgment and always put safety first.
* Information on Bystander Intervention was provided by the Department of Defense Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office from: www.sapr.mil

MEARNG Chaplain
Cell: (207) 620-6009
Office: (207) 430-5898 

MEANG Chaplain
Cell:  (207) 356-0674
Office: (207) 404-7242

Maine National Guard Legal Office: 
(207) 620-5977

101st Air Refueling Wing Legal Office: 
(207) 404-7447

Maine Army National Guard and Air National Guard Medical Personnel and Behavioral Health Personnel are also available to assist.

The JFHQ SARC is responsible for oversight and management of the Maine National Guard SAPR Program.  However, the JFHQ SARC and Wing SARC each serve as single points of contact for the Maine Army National Guard and Maine Air National Guard respectively, to oversee sexual assault awareness, prevention and response training; coordinate victim services including medical treatment; track the services provided to a victim from the initial report through final disposition and resolution, and ensure accurate data reporting and collection.

Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Victim Advocate (SAPR VA)/Volunteer Victim Advocates (VVAs): SAPR VAs and VVAs report directly to the JFHQ SARC and Wing SARC respectively and provide valuable support to victims/survivors of sexual assault, guiding them through the reporting process, and providing resources to help them recover and resolve their case against the reported offender. They can be relied on for:

- Crisis Intervention
- Information on medical and counseling services
- Referrals to health and wellness providers
- Ongoing non-clinical support
- Policy/Process Guidance
- Victim/survivor support through investigations and court proceedings
- Assistance completing the DD Form 2910, Victim Preference Statement, and other Reporting Options for which the victim is eligible
- Help for as long as the victim/survivor requires it

Chaplain: Military spiritual leaders are available to provide privileged and un-breeched  confidential communication. In the course of privileged communication with a chaplain, a victim/survivor may choose to disclose a sexual assault. The disclosure will remain confidential, however, the chaplain can help facilitate contact with a SARC, SAPR VA, or VVA to file an official Restricted or Unrestricted Report of sexual assault.

Healthcare Personnel: Healthcare personnel will provide confidential communication with victims/survivors, and will report incidents of sexual assault to the SARC under the Restricted Reporting designation. If the victim/survivor wants to file a restricted or unrestricted report, they must speak with the SARC, SAPR VA, or VVA.

The appearance of hyperlinks does not constitute endorsement by the Maine National Guard, or the Department of Defense, of the external Web sites, or the information, products or services contained therein.

If there is something you'd like to see on this site, please contact the JFHQ Sexual Assault Response Coordinator with your recommendations.