Sexual Assault Prevention & Response (SARP)

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a person who has been sexually assaulted a year ago still report it?

Sexual assault can be reported at any time.  Once the Dept. of the Army Police or medical is notified of a sexual assault, the procedures are the same regardless of the amount of time since the assault.  Soldiers should be encouraged to come forward as soon as possible, so that all possible evidence is collected and preserved before it is lost, destroyed, or altered.  Early reporting also provides the best opportunity to gather testimony from possible witnesses before their memories fade or they move to other locations.  Delayed reporting makes it more difficult to investigate the incident and reduces the ability to prosecute the case.  However, victims are strongly encouraged to report crimes, no matter how long after an assault occurred, and Dept. of the Army Police Investigators will do their best to investigate the incident and provide a factual and actionable report to the appropriate judicial authority.  Even late reporting can impact other investigations and may assist in identifying and prosecuting a criminal.

Can men be sexually assaulted?

Yes, men may be victims of forcible sodomy or indecent assault.  Therefore, all resources for sexual assault are available, regardless of gender.

As a soldier, what are my obligations to report a sexual assault if I am aware of it as a third party? 

Anytime there is knowledge of a crime, or a crime to be committed in the future, the individual should report it to the Dept. of the Army Police or the chain of command. 

Are any of the Restricted Report contacts (Sexual Assault Response Coordinator, Victim Advocates, Chaplain, Medical Treatment Professional) protected and excluded by Congress or the DoD from being subpoenaed to court as a witness to testify?

None of them have been excluded, and it is possible that they could be asked to testify at a court-martial.  Normally, Soldier witnesses are ordered to appear by their Commanders.  If someone with a confidential relationship with a victim is either the subject of an attempted interview by anyone or ordered to appear at a court-martial as a witness relating to the confidential matters, the person should report that fact to the servicing Trial Counsel.  DoD has created an administrative privilege.  We believe that it may be sustained in court, but that issue remains to be litigated. 

Does this program apply to just military, or does it include contractors to DoD as well?

The charter was to develop a prevention and response program for Soldiers.  Currently the program is designed only for Soldiers; however the DoD and Army are reviewing procedures on how to extend to others.  Commanders should recognize that sexual assault effects everyone and should deal with this issue as appropriate and keep in mind that restrictive reporting applies to Soldiers only. 

For more frequently asked questions, please visit www.sexualassault.army.mil. 

Source: www.sexualassault.army.mil.