Self-Help
So you've been assaulted, harassed, or retaliated against. Now what?
DISCLAIMER - WE ARE NOT ATTORNEYS, NOR CAN WE PROVIDE ANY LEGAL ADVICE OR OFFICIAL REPRESENTATION IN A COURT OF LAW. THIS IS SIMPLY A PAGE SHARING PAST EXPERIENCES AND PROCEDURES THAT HAVE MADE PROGRESSION IN THE UNCHARTED TERRITORY OF ADVOCATING FOR YOURSELF AGAINST THE MILITARY. DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH AND ALWAYS CONSULT AN ACTUAL ATTORNEY BEFORE DOING ANYTHING ON YOUR OWN.
So you've been assaulted, harassed, or retaliated against. Now What?
If you have been assaulted - notify law enforcement immediately, DO NOT SHOWER OR CLEAN/BATHE YOURSELF - many times victims of rape or assault feel "dirty" and want to clean themselves after. This destroys evidence (DNA). Sexual assaults are hard to prove criminally and civilly, and "evidence decay" can jeopardize the process. Ask the law enforcement officer to get a "rape kit" and go to your nearest hospital and ask for a medical examination. Ask for copies of everything. Do not inform your chain of command of any documents you have obtained. Frequently in past cases, command will try to obtain evidence first and withhold information to essentially engage in what is known as "damage control".
Notify law enforcement, file an official complaint, and request to press charges against your assaulter/s - this is very important. Involving civilian law enforcement agencies removes the ability for your command or leadership to suppress the complaint, as there is a formal complaint and you have formal protections under your branch of service's regulation - law enforcement agencies are required to investigate and refer appropriate action to prosecutors - DO NOT LET ANYONE TALK YOU OUT OF DOING THIS - this is commonly a "tactic" used by command in order to suppress the complaint with no official and supporting documentation where they can later claim "person xyz did not file a complaint etc". The sad reality is that this does muddy the waters or chances for action to be taken.
Archive all written communication with the assaulter prior to the incident - if you have text messages, social media videos, emails, or eye-witnesses, note the exact time and date you had contact with the individual, and also send copies of your military email or formal counseling statements to a private email or drop box. The "game" is that leadership can and will try to delete or "sanitize" any digital information.
File a formal complaint at all levels - Links below:
DOD IG Whistleblower Complaint
NGB Inspector General Complaint
Army IG - oversees all of the National Guard components in the United States and US Territories (National Guard Bureau)File Congressional Complaints with Federal/State legislature
Here is a link to the United States Congress website to find your Senator or Representative - US Congress SearchConsult legal counsel and contact various media sources - state and local media are more likely to pick up the story. Remember, keep the story about what happened to you, not bashing the military. It makes a difference, and a greater impact.
File civil suits against the agency and the assaulter/s - this forces the agency's hand to take action and puts them in a difficult decision where the interest of the agency and protecting the bad actors separates and are forced to take action.
Request an archive any official documents relating to the investigation or administrative proceedings and outcome. This is very important! If you don't do it on the front end you may lose it and have to use the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) or State public records requests in order to obtain documents. Agencies can and will drag this process out.
ADVOCACY GROUPS