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Navy SAPR Members Conduct Communication Exercise in Rota

Navy NewsStand

Story Number: NNS100908-05
9/8/2010

By Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class (SW) Paul Cage, Naval Station Rota, Spain, Public Affairs

ROTA, Spain (NNS) -- The Regional Legal Service Office at Naval Station Rota, Spain, held a table-top exercise to simulate official command responses for sexual assault allegations and reporting procedures Sept. 2 at Naval Station (NAVSTA) Rota.

The exercise was attended by various subject matter experts (SME) from different organizations on the base, including sexual assault prevention coordinators, Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Program managers and members from Fleet and Family Support Center, to coordinate standard operating procedures (SOPs) and identify areas needing improvement to provide the absolute best service to alleged victims.

"In my time in the Navy, most cases that I have worked on involved date-rape scenarios," said Lt. Cmdr. Robert Kline, NAVSTA Rota Staff Judge Advocate. "It is not the Law & Order episode where a stranger pulls a victim into an alley and violently assaults them. The vast majority involve acquaintance rape, alcohol use, with the only evidence in the following morning consisting of two different stories as to what actually occurred."

While there are SOPs and instructions in place, Kline wanted the meeting to create a "reliable redundancy" in reporting and assisting any alleged victim.

"I need all the relevant players in the realm of sexual assault response to know who each other is and to know what each others' responsibilities are," said Kline. "I wanted people to clarify their roles so if there are any deficiencies, we can identify them and ensure we are giving the alleged victim all of the support they require. Effective communication between SMEs is essential."

The training focused on coordinating responses to two hypothetical unrestricted reports of sexual assault where each of the SMEs are notified in differing order. This was done so that each SME's response would be highlighted and detailed for discussion.

"I know the major players because I do the case management," said Janet Harris, NAVSTA Rota's Sexual Assault Response Coordinator (SARC). "But to see some of the lesser known players like Emergency Operations Center personnel, I now have a name with the face and organization. I have a better understanding of what their responsibilities are."

NAVSTA Rota continues to actively work on improving the handling and disposition of sexual assault criminal cases. One thing that came out of the training is a CD with all the various SAPR key players' instructions on it.

"People involved in this are very passionate. It is a very sensitive area and it takes good people to run it," said Kline. "By bringing together, it reinforces the very real truth that all of us have an important piece in this process. Every time we talk and exchange ideas, we develop a better program. We owe each alleged victim nothing less than our absolute best."