What is Sexual Assault Prevention and Response (SAPR)?  

The SAPR program addresses the criminal offenses of rape, sexual assault, aggravated sexual contact, abusive sexual contact, and non-consensual sodomy; these offenses may be found in UCMJ Articles 120, and attempts in Article 80. A concise training definition for sexual assault is found in DoDDirective 6495.01. There is also a stand-alone punitive article for retaliation in Article 132.

The Sexual Assault Prevention & Response Program is a commander's program; commanders have the greatest responsibility in preventing sexual harassment and sexual assault by creating and maintaining a unit climate or culture (language + beliefs + actions) of safety, unity, and integrity: where people are treated with dignity and respect, readiness is increased, community partnerships are strengthened, the organization is diverse and inclusive, and cares for its members and families. Preventing sexual harassment and sexual assault is a priority of the The Adjutant General and Nevada National Guard Leadership.

"Protecting our People Protects our Mission"

Sexual harassment and sexual assault have negative and lasting impact on victims; they undermine unit cohesion, erode unit effectiveness and combat readiness. This impacts the engagement of Soldiers, Airmen, and supporting civilians; affects morale, productivity, and the ability to lead with excellence. In the effort to protect our force and maintain mission readiness, the SAPR program takes a comprehensive approach to preventing sexual assault through accountability, organizational support, leadership involvement, peer-to-peer mentorship, deterrence, education and training, harm reduction, community involvement, incentives to promote prevention, and communication.

Commanders and supervisors at all levels must create a culture that promotes healthy relationships and holds people accountable for their negative behaviors – in their everyday sphere of influence, through a shared understanding of the goal to end sexual harassment and sexual assault within our military, and through collaborative partnerships internal and external to the organization.

The SAPR Team includes civilian and uniformed sexual assault response coordinators (SARCs) and victim advocates (VAs) – with a pool of both male and female VAs available 24/7 to respond to restricted and unrestricted reports of sexual assault. Our SARCs and Advocates ensure that victims are treated with dignity and respect throughout the reporting process and provide valuable resources and referrals for victims of sexual assault. The SARCs coordinate with the Provost Marshal, the Staff Judge Advocate, Special Victims Counsel, local law enforcement, community partners, and commanders to respond to reports of sexual assault and ensure the safety of those who report sexual assault. Monthly Case Management Group meetings chaired by the TAG and co-chaired by the JFHQ SARC ensure the synchronized effort to manage and respond to each case. Additionally, the SARCs maintain and expand community partnerships to increase available resources to survivors and coordinate the response to reports of retaliation.