Department of the Air Force review to improve domestic violence support to victims > Air Force > Article Display

The secretary of the Air Force directed a 90-day cross-functional review Jan. 25 to comprehensively assess how domestic violence victims are supported in the Department of the Air Force.

“Domestic violence has no place in our Air and Space Forces—it breaks the bonds of our service family, destroys individuals, families, and our communities, and is illegal,” mentioned Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall. “We owe survivors of both domestic violence and sexual assault a foundation of trust to report violence, and confidence that all members of the Department of the Air Force know how to effectively respond and support.”

An Inspector General of the Department of the Air Force investigation into allegations regarding improper dealing with of domestic violence incidents discovered areas for enchancment in establishing belief and rapport with victims, significantly in the early phases of reporting, response and investigations.

“While we have taken actions to improve victim response and support programs, there is more work to be done in earning and sustaining the trust of survivors,” Kendall mentioned.

The review will take a holistic take a look at the DAF’s response to domestic violence and the support companies supplied to survivors of abuse. The effort will embody partnering with outdoors organizations skilled in supporting army spouses and former army spouses who’re domestic violence survivors to guarantee applications, remedy and companies are appropriately designed and employed for the correct prevention and remedy of these experiencing abuse. Additionally, the Secretary issued a name throughout the DAF to think about how their actions create a secure and responsive surroundings for potential victims and survivors.

“Every member of our Air Force family deserves dignity and respect, and those who exhibit the strength and courage to seek support must be able to do so with the knowledge they will be treated with genuine care and competence,” mentioned Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. CQ Brown, Jr.

The DAF has taken on a number of initiatives in recent times to fight domestic violence.

“Our approach is centered on supporting survivors and helping to prevent domestic violence and/or sexual assault in the first place,” mentioned Under Secretary of the Air Force Gina Ortiz Jones. “This is a warfighting issue, a readiness issue and a leadership issue.”

The Department of the Air Force just lately established a “Connect to Care” strategy outlining express expectations for offering sufferer companies. In July, the underneath secretary of the Air Force directed the Integrated Response Center Co-location Pilot at seven installations to improve consciousness of response companies, reduce re-traumatization to the biggest extent doable and improve information assortment and synergy amongst response suppliers.

Both initiatives are in direct response to the Department of the Air Force report on interpersonal violence printed in 2021 and the Independent Review Commission on Sexual Assault in the Military suggestions with preliminary suggestions exhibiting enchancment in support for survivors as they navigate reporting choices and accessible sources.

“Leaders at every level must stand ready to listen and provide the support and resources our Guardians and their families deserve,” mentioned Chief of Space Operations Gen. Chance Saltzman. “The Space Force is strongest when our Guardians and families thrive.”

Additional actions being taken to improve sufferer response and support applications embody:

• Growing the quantity of particular brokers in the Office of Special Investigations solely devoted to investigating allegations of interpersonal violence
  
   

  • Hiring 86 further OSI personnel and enhancing coaching for all who examine violent crimes, to embody domestic violence
    
     
  • Establishing a violent crime profession observe and rising investigative interview instruction time for brokers targeted on these crimes to guarantee the most skilled investigators are engaged on domestic violence circumstances
    
     

• Assigning sole authority to determine whether or not to court docket martial domestic violence offenders to the Office of Special Trial Counsel
  
   

  • The workplace studies immediately to the Secretary of the Air Force independently of the command reporting construction and has a employees of skilled army litigators with expertise prosecuting domestic violence and different severe crimes.
    
     
  • The workplace will streamline the investigation and trial course of, lower case processing occasions, guarantee specialists in domestic violence examine allegations instantly after an offense is reported, and prosecute the circumstances the place acceptable leveraging experience from specialised authorized, regulation enforcement and prevention leaders.
    
     

• Improving the transitional compensation for abused dependents utility course of
  
   
  
• Establishing an digital system that permits Domestic Abuse Violence Advocates to preserve information longer to higher observe and determine conditions of repeated domestic abuse
  
   

  • Because domestic violence is now a individually enumerated offense underneath the Uniform Code of Military Justice, courts-martial penalties for assaults involving a partner, intimate accomplice, or quick member of the family could be elevated and the division can extra precisely observe the frequency and nature of these legal incidents.

Eligible domestic violence victims are additionally now assigned a sufferer’s counsel (lawyer), which can guarantee they obtain privileged, confidential authorized recommendation and different authorized help and support companies.

“The core values of the Air Force and Space Force demand a commitment to character and integrity,” Kendall mentioned. “Our responsibility as leaders requires us to fully support survivors and sustain their trust in all of our actions.”

Kendall’s letter to the DAF saying the cross-functional review could be learn right here.