According to the United States Marine Corps Community Services, here are the options for reporting sexual assault:
SAPR Victim Advocates (VA) and Sexual Assault Response Coordinators (SARC) can answer questions about reporting options, and they’ll provide support no matter what type of report you choose to make.
Knowing Your Options
Service members and their adult military dependents (18 years and older) have two reporting options for incidents of sexual assault: Unrestricted and Restricted Reporting.
Unrestricted Reporting
An Unrestricted Report enables an adult victim to report the crime without requesting confidentiality. An Unrestricted Report starts an official law enforcement investigation, enlists the support of the chain of command, and provides a victim with access to ALL supportive service options:
- Advocacy (support, information, referrals, and accompaniment)
- Medical/Counseling Services
- Victims’ Legal Counsel
- Law Enforcement Notification/Investigation
- Command Notification/Support
- Military Protective Order
- Eligibility for an Expedited Transfer
- Knowledge of the sexual assault is limited to those with need-to-know.
Restricted Reporting
A Restricted Report enables a victim to report the crime confidentially, and to specific individuals, without triggering an investigation. Information about the sexual assault provided to the command will not reveal identifying information about the victim or offender. Restricted reporting allows the victim to access these supportive service options:
- Advocacy Services (support, information, referrals, and accompaniment)
- Medical/Counseling Services
- Victims’ Legal Counsel
Expanded Eligibility for Restricted Reporting
Sexual assault victims can file a Restricted Report even if they disclosed the incident to their commander or member of their chain of command, there is an MCIO investigation into the crime initiated by a third party, or the military criminal investigation of the crime was closed.
Although a victim can choose to convert a Restricted Report to an Unrestricted Report at any time, an Unrestricted Report cannot be converted to a Restricted Report.
Who to Contact to File a Report
For an Unrestricted Report, victims can disclose a sexual assault to these people:
- Civilian SAPR Victim Advocate
- Sexual Assault Response Coordinator
- Law Enforcement
- Healthcare Personnel
- Chaplain
- Victims’ Legal Counsel
- Chain of Command
For a Restricted Report, victims may disclose a sexual assault to the SAPR VA, SARC, chaplain, or Victims’ Legal Counsel. In some places, victims may also disclose to healthcare personnel; however, in certain states or local jurisdictions, healthcare personnel are required to disclose sexual assaults to law enforcement. California is one such state. Sexual assault prevention is the responsibility of every Marine. For additional resources and support, visit: www.usmc-mccs.org/sapr.