Real wingmen act

Promoting respect, preserving dignity

188th Wing Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office
Sexual Assault Response Coordinators (SARCs) and Victim Advocates are available to assist victims (survivors) of sexual assault. The 188th Wing SARC serves as the single point of contact for integrating and coordinating sexual assault victim (survivor) care for members of the 188th Wing. The SARC office is also responsible for providing Sexual Assault Prevention training throughout the Wing.

Obtaining help
Immediate medical care is essential. Get to a safe place and CALL 911. Once medical care has been established, contact the 188th Wing SARC.

Sexual assault is criminal conduct that falls well short of the standards America expects of its men and women in uniform and is a violation of our Air Force Core Values. 

Sexual assault is defined as intentional sexual conduct, characterized by use of force, physical threat or abuse of authority or when the victim does not or cannot consent. 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. 

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.

First, go to a safe location. 

Contact the 188th Wing Sexual Assault Response coordinator, or healthcare personnel. You may also contact your chain of command or law enforcement (military or civilian), however if you do, an investigation will occur and you will not have the option of making a Restricted Report (see below). 

Seek medical care as soon as possible. Even if you do not have any visible physical injuries, you may be at risk of becoming pregnant or acquiring a sexually transmitted disease.
- Ask healthcare personnel to conduct a sexual assault forensic examination (SAFE) to preserve forensic evidence. 
- If you suspect you had been drugged, request that a urine sample be collected. 

Preserve all evidence of the assault. Do not bathe, wash your hands or brush your teeth. Do not clean or straighten up the crime scene. 

Write down, tape or record by any other means all the details you can recall about the assault and your assailant. 

Reporting options: Restricted/unrestricted reporting 

Restricted reporting 
This option is for victims of sexual assault who wish to confidentially disclose the crime to specifically identified individuals and receive medical treatment and services without triggering the official investigative process. Service members who are sexually assaulted and desire restricted reporting under this policy must report the assault to a Sexual Assault Response coordinator (SARC), victim advocate (VA), or a healthcare personnel. 

Healthcare personnel will initiate the appropriate care and treatment, and report the sexual assault to the SARC in lieu of reporting the assault to law enforcement or the chain of command. Upon notification of a reported sexual assault, the SARC will immediately assign an advocate to the victim. The assigned victim advocate will provide accurate information on the process of restricted and/or unrestricted reporting. 

At the victim's discretion/request an appropriately trained healthcare personnel shall conduct a sexual assault forensic examination (SAFE), which may include the collection of evidence. In the absence of a Department of Defense provider, the service member will be referred to an appropriate civilian facility for the SAFE. 

Who may make a restricted report 
Restricted reporting is available at this time only to military personnel of the Armed Forces and the Coast Guard. Military personnel include members on active duty and members of the Reserve component (Reserve and National Guard) provided they are performing federal duty (active duty training or inactive duty training and members of the National Guard in Federal (Title 10) status). Members of the Reserve Component not performing Federal duty are not eligible. Retired members of any component are not eligible. Dependents are not eligible. Department of Defense civilian employees are not eligible. 

Considerations when electing a restricted report 
You receive appropriate medical treatment, advocacy, and counseling. 
· Provides some personal space and time to consider your options and to begin the healing process.
· Empowers you to seek relevant information and support to make more informed decisions about participating in the criminal investigation.
· You control the release and management of your personal information.
· You decide whether and when to move forward with initiating an investigation.

Unrestricted reporting 
This option is for victims of sexual assault who desire medical treatment, referral services and an official investigation of the crime. When selecting unrestricted reporting, you should use current reporting channels, e.g. chain of command, law enforcement or report the incident to the Sexual Assault Response coordinator (SARC), or request healthcare personnel to notify law enforcement. Upon notification of a reported sexual assault, the SARC will immediately assign a victim advocate (VA). At the victim's discretion/request, healthcare personnel shall conduct a sexual assault forensic examination (SAFE), which may include the collection of evidence. Details regarding the incident will be limited to only those personnel who have a legitimate need to know. 

Note: Additional restricted and unrestricted reporting considerations can be further be discussed with your Sexual Assault Response Coordinator or VA. 

The Air Force has instituted new avenues for reporting sexual assault in the form of restricted and unrestricted reporting. Restricted Reporting allows a victim to report a sexual assault without triggering an investigation. It is intended to give the 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 criminal process. 

Unrestricted reporting is any report of sexual assault made through normal reporting channels. For example, reports to chain of command, security forces, and/or Air Force Office of Special Investigation (OSI) or National Guard Office of Complex Investigation (OCI). 

A report will be unrestricted if the matter is disclosed to anyone not on the SAPR Team: commanders, first sergeants (anyone in chain of command). Information is shared only with law enforcement/command/medical. It is documented in a secure system and there will be an investigation with possible prosecution

Restricted reporting is available to active duty military, Coast Guard, Reservist performing federal training and members of the National Guard under Title 10 status. It 100 percent confidential.

A report can be restriced when is is disclosed to a SARC/VA. The matter will be kept 100% confidential. The report will be documented for future services in secure system. The survivor will receive privileged medical and physiological services through Veterans Affairs. There will be no investigation/prosecution.

The survivor may at any time decide to change the report from restricted to unrestricted.