JOINT BASE ANDREWS, Md. –
Preventing and responding to sexual assault in the military is a challenge, but receiving confidential help shouldn't be. The DOD community has been in need of a service that offers live, one-on-one anonymous and confidential sexual assault support, free from chain of command involvement and accessible worldwide. DOD Safe Helpline answers this need.
Safe Helpline is a groundbreaking new crisis support service that is anonymous, secure, and available 24/7 -- providing victims with the help they need, anytime, anywhere.
Safe Helpline assistance is available to adult DOD community servicemembers. By clicking on www.SafeHelpline.org, one can receive live, one-on-one confidential help with a trained professional through a secure instant-messaging format. An individual can also call the Safe Helpline telephone hotline at 877-995-5247 and speak with Safe Helpline staff for personalized advice and support. Users can also text their location to 55-247 (inside the U.S.) or 202-470-5546 (outside the U.S.) to receive automated contact information for the DOD Sexual Assault Response Coordinator (SARC) at their installation or base.
"The creation of Safe Helpline could not have come at a better time" said Dr. Kaye Whitley, DOD Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office (SAPRO) Director. "Instances of sexual assault are still prevalent in the military and that needs to stop. SARCs and Victim Advocates (VAs) do a wonderful job at providing immediate support to sexual-assault victims in the military, but there is always more which can be done. Safe Helpline gives the DOD community another outlet to seek live, one-on-one anonymous and confidential sexual assault support from a trained Safe Helpline staff member. This, in turn, helps to alleviate fear that a victim may have toward chain of command repercussions or of having anyone outside party becoming involved in the sexual assault case."
The underreporting of sexual assault poses a serious challenge to military readiness. SAPRO, the DOD office that owns Safe Helpline, hopes that the services provided will encourage the likelihood of sexual assault reporting, but notes that the number one goal of Safe Helpline is to provide victims of sexual assault the care and support they need and deserve.
SAPRO has entered into a contractual agreement with the non-profit Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (RAINN), the nation's largest anti-sexual violence organization, to operate this effort. RAINN staff supporting Safe Helpline has been trained on the unique needs of those living and working in the DOD community.
"It is the responsibility of every man and woman in the DOD community to prevent sexual assault and support programs like Safe Helpline, which are designed to assist sexual assault victims" said Dr. Whitley. "SAPRO will do everything possible to support Safe Helpline and its mission of providing confidential sexual assault support to the DOD community."