To: Admiral Robert J. Papp. Jr., Commandant of the US Coast GUard, The United States House of Representatives, and The United States Senate
Help protect US Coast Guard rape survivors.
One in three women as well as many men in the Coast Guard are going to fall victim of sexual assault and rape. We had enough of these attacks against our shipmates. Stand with members and veterans of the United States Coast Guard as we work towards eliminating sexual violence in the U.S Coast Guard.
What we are requesting:
1) United States Coast Guard to submit an annual report on sexual assault.
According to Section 577(f) of Public Law (PL) 108-375 requires the Department of Defense to submit an annual report on sexual assault in the Military to Congress. The report is divided into the following major sections: DoD Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Program Overview, Program Highlights, Aggregate Report of Sexual Assault Incidents, Way Ahead for Program and Strategic Observations. At the present time the United States Coast Guard, being under the Department of Homeland Security and not the Department of Defense, is the only military branch that is not required to submit to Congress the number of sexual assaults reported. We would like to see the Coast Guard to be transparent in the number of sexual assaults and rapes reported within its organization.
2) Protection for our brave Coast Guardsmen and women that report a rape or sexual assault.
After a man or woman reports a sexual assault they often have to continue working side by side with their perpetrator putting a service member that was just raped at greater risk for repeat offenses. The United States Coast Guard has not yet adopted an expedited transfer policy for victims of sexual violence as have the military departments under the authority of the Department of Defense. The STRONG Act requires the development of sexual assault prevention and response training at every level of professional development. In addition, it affords victims the protection of expedited transfer away from the geographic location of their alleged attacker. We are requesting that Coast Guard rape survivors are not left out from life saving legislation.
3) Support for survivors at every Coast Guard installation.
If a woman or man is raped at a small boat station in Maine they have to contact the Sexual Assault Response Coordinator (SARC) in Boston, Massachusetts…two states away. If that is not daunting enough many survivors and civilian service providers report that phone calls and emails to the SARC in Boston are often not returned leaving the survivors alone, scared and vulnerable for repeat attacks. Coast Guardsmen in Maine are not the only ones that lack the support that they need to make a confidential report and receive the help that they deserve. Many Coast Guard stations throughout the United States do not have trained victim advocates to offer immediate help for survivors of sexual assault and rape. We are asking for the Coast Guard to immediately deploy trained victim advocates to every single Coast Guard installation.
We hope you stand with us in Protecting our Guardians.
Please visit supportthecg.com and stopmilitaryrape.org
What we are requesting:
1) United States Coast Guard to submit an annual report on sexual assault.
According to Section 577(f) of Public Law (PL) 108-375 requires the Department of Defense to submit an annual report on sexual assault in the Military to Congress. The report is divided into the following major sections: DoD Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Program Overview, Program Highlights, Aggregate Report of Sexual Assault Incidents, Way Ahead for Program and Strategic Observations. At the present time the United States Coast Guard, being under the Department of Homeland Security and not the Department of Defense, is the only military branch that is not required to submit to Congress the number of sexual assaults reported. We would like to see the Coast Guard to be transparent in the number of sexual assaults and rapes reported within its organization.
2) Protection for our brave Coast Guardsmen and women that report a rape or sexual assault.
After a man or woman reports a sexual assault they often have to continue working side by side with their perpetrator putting a service member that was just raped at greater risk for repeat offenses. The United States Coast Guard has not yet adopted an expedited transfer policy for victims of sexual violence as have the military departments under the authority of the Department of Defense. The STRONG Act requires the development of sexual assault prevention and response training at every level of professional development. In addition, it affords victims the protection of expedited transfer away from the geographic location of their alleged attacker. We are requesting that Coast Guard rape survivors are not left out from life saving legislation.
3) Support for survivors at every Coast Guard installation.
If a woman or man is raped at a small boat station in Maine they have to contact the Sexual Assault Response Coordinator (SARC) in Boston, Massachusetts…two states away. If that is not daunting enough many survivors and civilian service providers report that phone calls and emails to the SARC in Boston are often not returned leaving the survivors alone, scared and vulnerable for repeat attacks. Coast Guardsmen in Maine are not the only ones that lack the support that they need to make a confidential report and receive the help that they deserve. Many Coast Guard stations throughout the United States do not have trained victim advocates to offer immediate help for survivors of sexual assault and rape. We are asking for the Coast Guard to immediately deploy trained victim advocates to every single Coast Guard installation.
We hope you stand with us in Protecting our Guardians.
Please visit supportthecg.com and stopmilitaryrape.org
Why is this important?
One in three women as well as many men in the Coast Guard are going to fall victim of sexual assault and rape. We had enough of these attacks against our shipmates. Stand with members and veterans of the United States Coast Guard as we work towards eliminating sexual violence in the U.S Coast Guard.