Military & Civilian Partnerships

Creating Military and Civilian Partnerships

The Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape (PCAR) developed a curriculum to promote understanding and collaboration between the civilian and military sexual assault advocacy communities. Strengthening Military-Civilian Community Partnerships to Respond to Sexual Assault was designed for community-based sexual assault programs that want to build working relationships with their local military installations in order to better serve military victims of sexual assault. The curriculum focuses on introducing the civilian community to the history, values, beliefs, mission and goals of the various military branches. The training examines the unique characteristics of military culture and its impact on the personal and community response to military sexual assault victims.

PCAR offered the first train-the-trainers for the curriculum, designed to be delivered by a team of trainers representing both the community and military sexual assault fields, in December, 2008. Military and civilian advocates attended in teams that will return to their communities to provide ongoing training to local civilian advocates.

Joanne Archambault, executive director of End Violence Against Women, provided an example of a military and civilian partnership that was developed in Florida. The Naval Hospital in Jacksonville worked with a civilian agency, Victims Services Center, to write protocols and procedures that would allow victims access to a forensic examination without reporting to law enforcement. They worked together for close to two years to complete the policies and procedures manual and to develop a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between the two agencies.

FCASV sent a team to the PCAR training. The team plans on providing its first Strengthening Military-Civilian Community Partnerships training in September. Advocates in both military and civilian sexual assault programs who are interested in building collaborative relationships are encouraged to attend. The training will provide an in-depth understanding of military systems, protocols and services related to sexual assault, an understanding of the military justice process and an understanding of how community- based programs operate and the services they provide. Stay tuned for details!