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Show HILLTOP TIMES 8 'TIMES March 17, 2011 False reports harm 'true victims of sexual assault BY JANAEE STONE AND CATHERINE MCNALLY SARC to move to A&FRC on March 23 SARC's The SARC office will be moving from its current home in Building 118 to a new permanent office in the Airman and Family Readiness Center (Building 150). The move will be completed March 23. During Sexual Assault Response Coordinator and Hilltop Times writer 6 obody ever wishes to be N a victim of sexual assault," said 1st Lt. Julianne Douglas, Alternate Sexual Assault Response Coordinator. "Coming forward with a sexual assault and making a report is very difficult and trying on a victim. The Sexual Assault Prevention and Response team is very proud and supportive of victims who come forward." As always, the SARC, Victim Advocates, Northern Utah Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners and many other resources, programs and people are readily available to assist and support victims of sexual assault. However, their jobs can be made much more difficult when someone decides to file a false sexual assault report. "We never want to discourage a true victim from reporting," Douglas cautioned. "It is still possible for someone who might be unsure if they've been a victim of sexual assault to contact the SARC and explain a hypothetical situation to them before contacting the authorities," advised Janaee Stone, Sexual Assault Response Coordinator. If someone is unsure of what sexual assault entails, they can also check AFI 36-6001, which states: "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. Sexual assault includes rape, forcible sodomy (oral or anal sex), and other unwanted sexual contact that is aggravated, abusive or wrongful (to include unwanted and inappropriate sexual contact), or attempts to commit these acts." However, there is a difference between being unsure if you're a victim and seeking advice versus making a false report. Those who make false reports can and will be prosecuted. However, the biggest repercussion of a false report is that it takes away valuable resources and support from true victims of sexual assault. "Every sexual assault response requires time, energy and resources, not only from the Sexual Assault Prevention and Response team but the entire installation," Douglas explained. "When an individual makes a false report it takes away from the real victims." "False reports also help contribute to the stigma that the majority or all sexual assault reports are false. This is, in fact, not true. Approximately two percent of all reports made involving military members are false," Stone explained. However, due to the extra publicity that false reports seem to get and negative stigma, the SARC and other programs and people providing resources and assistance to true victims experience a "one step forward, five steps back" type of scenario. "People talk more about a false report possibly because it supports the idea that sexual assaults don't happen. People generally don't like to think about bad things happening in the world around them" Douglas said. Rather than pretend sexual assault isn't an issue and doesn't happen, it is better for us to accept that it does happen and face it together while providing support, resources and help for true victims. "It is also important for us to remember that all reports of sexual assault are taken seriously. When a false report is made, it not only hurts the reporter but hurts true victims as well," Stone advised. If you or someone you know has experienced a sexual assault, please contact the SARC 24-hour Report Line at (801) 7771985 or (801) 777-1964. this time, the SARC will continue to be available 24 hours a day and can still be reached by calling (801) 777-1985 or (801) 777-1964. The new SARC office will be located in Suite 25B of the A&FRC, 3605 visit Safe Harbor Crisis Center (Kaysville) — Putahfind Rape Recovery Center (SLC) — (801) 467-7273 or www.raperecoverycenter.org Your Community Connection (YCC-Ogden) — (801) 394-9456 Weber State University Services for Women Students (Ogden) — (801) 626-6090 or www.weber. edu/sws itcom restaurants I services I whatever (888) 874-9378 or www. womensdvshelter.org on* bbstP 7 located across the hall from the Employee Assistance Program office. The new office will also have a side entrance located on the west side of the building facing the Base Exchange. and search " OGO" to find food offers! 41".' /SS one ANS A CDPR Save" to 80 3-8855 to subse be to FR food offers from Utah Find t.com *Standard Messaging afog Apply www.utahfindit.com Nationwide, a few highly-skilled heart care organizations were selected to be among the first to implant this small, sophisticated, life-saving device. Only one of them is in Utah. Resources For more information on sexual assault, please contact or visit one of the following resources: Department of Defense Sexual Assault Website — www.sapr.mil Military OneSource — Visit healing fo dife.com 1-800-342-9647 or www. militaryonesource.com 24-Hour Rape and Sexual Assault Crisis Information Line — 888421-1100 On-base agencies Airman and Family Readiness Center — (801) Intermountain 777-4681 Hill Air Force Base Chapel — (801) 777-2106 Base Legal Assistance Heart Services crea 4 7,44 — (801) 777-6756 Air Force Office of Special Investigation — (801) 777-1852 Security Forces (LE Desk) — (801) 777-3056 Command Post — (801) 777-3007 Equal Opportunity — (801) 777-4857 Mental Health — (801) 777-7909 Off-base agencies Northern Utah Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (NUSANE) — (888) 328- • Hill AFB Job Openings Site Internal civilian announcements are posted on the Air Force Personnel Center Web site. Announcements for bargaining unit positions are posted on Fridays. All other announcements may be posted any day of the week. The Civilian Announcement Notification System is a subscription e-mail service available to c-o, assist employees in their job search. Self-nominations for posted announcements can be made on-line at www.afpc.randolph.af.mil/resweb, or via the interactive voice response system at 1-800-997-2378 and TDD 1-800-382-0893. MCICAY-DEE HOSPITAL CENTER • LOGAN REGIONAL HOSPITAL • INTERMOUNTAIN MEDICAL CENTER 71 - • For info on NSPS visit http://www.cpms.osd.mil/nsps. PRIMARY CHILDREN'S MEDICAL CENTER • LDS HOSPITAL • ALTA VIEW HOSPITAL • RIVERTON HOSPITAL UTAH VALLEY REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER • DIXIE REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER VALLEY VIEW MEDICAL CENTER • BEAR RIVER VALLEY HOSPITAL |