The Situation: Supporting victims of sexual assault

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. David Hess
  • 436th Security Forces Squadron
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. --  A couple years ago, I had a troop I had known for about 10 years who approached me after our shift change and said she wanted to speak to me. I could tell she wanted to speak in private, so we got in the squad car and did a perimeter check around the base. While we were driving, she told me she thought she had been sexually assaulted.

The hardest part for me was to determine the line between friendship and my duties as a supervisor. As a cop and a supervisor, I am a mandatory reporter - I cannot keep that information to myself. We talked for a while, and I explained to her that I could not keep it a secret. When we ended up back in my office, I broke down the process of how I would help her. I told her who would be notified I told her I could be with her through the whole process, but if she did not want me there, I did not have to be. We called in the Sexual Assault Response Coordinator and Office of Special Investigations; they did what they needed to do. I was by her side the entire time, making sure she was comfortable and giving her support.

Afterwards, she was less open with me, which was hard. However, I think she knew I had to do it - as a supervisor, you have no choice. It comes down to integrity and doing what is right no matter what. I know I did the right thing because someone who goes through an ordeal like that needs support. She may not have felt that way at the beginning, but I believe she grasped it later on. Today, we have a normal, professional relationship.

I would advise supervisors to do the same thing I did if faced with this situation. You really have no choice, because in this situation you are a mandatory reporter who needs to inform your chain of command and the SARC. You need to do it as soon as possible, but explain to your Airman the entire process to make it easier on them. Tell them you are going to get them help, but will keep it as confidential as you can. Bring it up to the proper base agencies, like OSI and the SARC, and tell no one else.

To any Airman who encounters this situation, know supervisors, fellow Airmen and security forces are mandatory reporters. If you want it kept a secret, only tell the SARC, a chaplain or medical personnel. The SARC is probably the best agency to talk to, because they know the situation, they are not mandatory reporters and they can counsel you through what you are going through.