R 252008Z JAN 12
UNCLASSIFIED//
MARADMIN 048/12
MSGID/GENADMIN,USMTF,2007/CMC WASHINGTON DC MRA MF//
SUBJ/MARINE CORPS SEXUAL ASSAULT 24/7 HELPLINE//
REF/A/DOC/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC/23JUN2006//
REF/B/MSG/CMC WASHINGTON DC MRA MF/071707ZSEP2011//
REF/C/DOC/CMC WASHINGTON DC MRRS/05FEB2008//
NARR/REF A IS DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE INSTRUCTION 6495.02, SEXUAL ASSAULT PREVENTION AND RESPONSE PROGRAM PROCEDURES.  REF B IS MARADMIN 509/11, STANDARDS FOR RESPONDING TO VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE AND/OR SEXUAL ASSAULT.  REF C IS MCO 1752.5A, SEXUAL ASSAULT PREVENTION AND RESPONSE (SAPR) PROGRAM.//
POC/MELISSA COHEN/CIV/UNIT:MFC-3/-/TEL:703-432-9357//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1.  THIS MARADMIN ANNOUNCES POLICY CHANGES REGARDING MARINE CORPS STANDARDS ON 24-HOUR, 7-DAY A WEEK (24/7) SEXUAL ASSAULT HELPLINES FOR VICTIMS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT.
2.  PER REFERENCES (A), (B), AND (C), 24/7 HELPLINES WERE ESTABLISHED AT ALL MAJOR MARINE CORPS INSTALLATIONS TO PROVIDE VICTIMS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT IMMEDIATE ACCESS TO APPROPRIATE CARE AND CRITICAL INFORMATION.  TO TEST THE EFFECTIVENESS OF DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY SEXUAL ASSAULT HELPLINES, THE NAVAL AUDIT SERVICE (NAS) CONDUCTED AN AUDIT TO DETERMINE IF INITIAL RESPONSES TO VICTIM SEXUAL ASSAULT COMPLAINTS ARE EFFECTIVE, EFFICIENT, AND APPROPRIATE; AND TO VERIFY THAT PROPER ENTITIES ARE INVOLVED IN SEXUAL ASSAULT PREVENTION AND RESPONSE ACTIVITIES AND THEIR INVOLVEMENT IS AT AN APPROPRIATE LEVEL OF EFFORT.  AUDITORS CALLED NUMBERS FOUND ON INSTALLATION AND MARINE FORCES RESERVE (MARFORRES) WEBSITES FOR INSTALLATION SEXUAL ASSAULT 24/7 HELPLINES, UNIFORMED VICTIM ADVOCATES (UVA'S), CIVILIAN VICTIM ADVOCATES (VA'S), AND/OR SEXUAL ASSAULT RESPONSE COORDINATORS (SARC'S).  OF THE CALLS PLACED IN JANUARY 2011, 72 PERCENT AND 26 PERCENT WERE PROPERLY HANDLED BY MARINE CORPS INSTALLATIONS AND MARFORRES UNITS, RESPECTIVELY.  THESE RESULTS INDICATE THE NEED TO ESTABLISH CLEAR PROTOCOLS FOR THE DISPLAY OF UVA, VA, AND SARC CONTACT NUMBERS; AND A NEED TO PROVIDE SPECIFIC GUIDANCE FOR ANSWERING CALLS.  THE NAS WILL CONTINUE TO CONDUCT QUARTERLY AUDITS UNTIL TWO CONSECUTIVE AUDITS RESULT IN A 99 PERCENT OR BETTER SUCCESS RATE.
3.  EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY, THE FOLLOWING POLICY IS ESTABLISHED FOR 24/7 SEXUAL ASSAULT HELPLINES.
A.  ALL OFFICIAL COMMAND AND INSTALLATION WEBSITES MUST MAINTAIN A CURRENT 24/7 SEXUAL ASSAULT HELPLINE PHONE NUMBER, REFLECT REPORTING PROCEDURES AND REQUIREMENTS, AND IDENTIFY SUPPORT RESOURCES IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE STANDARDS OF REFERENCES (A) AND (B) AND THIS MESSAGE AS OUTLINED BELOW.
(1) CLEARLY AND PROMINENTLY IDENTIFY THE 24/7 SEXUAL ASSAULT HELPLINE NUMBER(S) ON INSTALLATION AND COMMAND WEBSITES.  THE SEXUAL ASSAULT 24/7 HELPLINE IS ONLY AUTHORIZED TO RING TO OFFICIAL GOVERNMENT ISSUED PHONE NUMBERS.
(2) CLEARLY DISTINGUISH BETWEEN SEXUAL ASSAULT HELPLINES, FAMILY ADVOCACY PROGRAM (FAP) HELPLINES, AND ANY OTHER PROGRAM HELPLINE OR PHONE NUMBER(S) ON THE WEBSITE, EVEN WHEN THE SAME NUMBER IS USED/SHARED ACROSS PROGRAMS (FOR EXAMPLE, SHARED SEXUAL ASSAULT PREVENTION AND RESPONSE (SAPR)/FAP HELPLINES).
(3) PERSONAL PHONE NUMBERS, CELL OR OTHERWISE, ARE NOT AUTHORIZED FOR DISPLAY AND SHALL NOT BE LISTED ON OFFICIAL WEBSITES.  EXTRANEOUS NUMBERS WILL BE REMOVED FROM WEBSITES.
(4) ALL OFFICE PHONE NUMBERS SHOULD BE CLEARLY LABELED TO AVOID CONFUSION FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT VICTIMS SEEKING IMMEDIATE ASSISTANCE DURING AND AFTER DUTY HOURS.  ENSURE BUSINESS HOURS ARE ALSO POSTED, IF LISTING OFFICE PHONE NUMBERS FOR THE UVA, VA, OR SARC.
(5) ALL UVA, VA, AND SARC OFFICE VOICE MAIL MESSAGES WILL DIRECT THE CALLER TO THE SEXUAL ASSAULT 24/7 HELPLINE FOR ASSISTANCE.  A SAMPLE VOICE MAIL SCRIPT IS PROVIDED BELOW.  "YOU HAVE REACHED THE OFFICE OF (NAME), THE SEXUAL ASSAULT RESPONSE COORDINATOR/UNIFORMED VICTIM ADVOCATE/VICTIM ADVOCATE FOR (UNIT).  I AM NOT AT MY DESK.  YOUR TELEPHONE CALL IS IMPORTANT TO ME (OPTIONAL).  IF YOU ARE IN DANGER OR THIS IS AN EMERGENCY, PLEASE DIAL 9-1-1 IMMEDIATELY.  OTHERWISE, PLEASE CALL THE SEXUAL ASSAULT HELPLINE AT (INSTALLATION SEXUAL ASSAULT HELPLINE PHONE NUMBER)."
(6) CALLS RECEIVED ON PUBLICIZED SEXUAL ASSAULT AND OTHER VICTIM ADVOCACY RELATED NUMBERS SHALL BE ANSWERED IMMEDIATELY OR THE CALL RETURNED WITHIN 15 MINUTES.
(7) ONLY TRAINED VA, UVA AND SARC PERSONNEL WILL ANSWER THE SEXUAL ASSAULT 24/7 HELPLINE AND PROVIDE ON-CALL ASSISTANCE TO VICTIMS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT.  THESE PERSONNEL MUST BE TRAINED IN REPORTING OPTIONS, BE ABLE TO ASSIST THE VICTIM, AND ANSWER ANY VICTIM SERVICES AND PROGRAM RELATED QUESTIONS THE CALLER MAY HAVE.
B.  SAPR PROGRAM MANAGERS WILL PROVIDE OVERSIGHT OF THE SEXUAL ASSAULT 24/7 HELPLINES TO ENSURE IMMEDIATE RESPONSE TO VICTIM CALLS FOR SERVICES.  IF THE SEXUAL ASSAULT 24/7 HELPLINE IS A SHARED RESOURCE BETWEEN FAP AND SAPR ADVOCATES, FAP AND SAPR PROGRAM MANAGERS WILL PROVIDE COORDINATED OVERSIGHT.
C.  MARINE CORPS COMMANDS AND DETACHMENTS LOCATED ON A NON-MARINE CORPS BASE/INSTALLATION WILL LIST THAT INSTALLATION'S SEXUAL ASSAULT 24/7 HELPLINE OR THE DEPARTMENT OF DEFENSE (DOD) SAFE HELPLINE 877-995-5247 ON THE COMMAND/DETACHMENT WEBSITE.
D.  MARINE CORPS RECRUITING COMMAND WILL USE THE SEXUAL ASSAULT 24/7 HELPLINE NUMBERS ASSOCIATED WITH THE RESPECTIVE RECRUITING REGION HEADQUARTERS; EASTERN RECRUITING REGION WILL USE THE PARRIS ISLAND SEXUAL ASSAULT 24/7 HELPLINE, AND WESTERN RECRUITING REGION WILL USE THE SAN DIEGO SEXUAL ASSAULT 24/7 HELPLINE.
E.  COMMANDS NOT IN ANY OF THE ABOVE CATEGORIES WILL USE THE DOD SAFE HELPLINE AT 877-995-5247; ON-LINE AT SAFEHELPLINE.ORG; OR SEND A TEXT TO 55-247 (INSIDE THE U.S.) OR 202-470-5546 (OUTSIDE THE U.S.).
F.  INSTALLATIONS AND COMMANDS SHOULD POST THE DOD SAFE HELPLINE AS A SECONDARY RESOURCE.
G.  HQMC SAPR WILL CONDUCT MONTHLY AUDITS TO ASSESS THE NEED FOR SUPPORT AND/OR POLICY CHANGES.
4.  THIS CHANGE WILL BE INCORPORATED IN THE NEXT REVISION OF REFERENCE (C).
5.  RELEASE AUTHORIZED BY LIEUTENANT GENERAL R. E. MILSTEAD, JR., DEPUTY COMMANDANT FOR MANPOWER AND RESERVE AFFAIRS.//