Photo By Senior Airman Jaeda Tookes | Capt. Catherine Santiago, Air Force Legal Operations Special Victims’ Counsel...... read more read more
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SVCs are comprised of attorneys from the Judge Advocate General’s Corps advocating for the rights of sexual assault victims and providing them legal assistance.
“The biggest part of my job is representation for the victim throughout the military justice process,” said Santiago. “I am there to help them emotionally, physically and spiritually. To help them become a survivor who can contribute to the mission and remain a valuable asset to the military.”
According to Santiago, there are quite a few benefits to having a SVC in residence, one of which is that victims are able to have face time with their attorneys, establishing trust.
“Potentially we are working with a victim for several months,” said Santiago. “There are a lot of decisions that need to be made.”
An in-residence SVC benefits other agencies who work with them by building better working relationships and establishing rapport, said Santiago.
SVCs are able to represent sexual assault victims who file a restricted or unrestricted report.
“Restricted reporting goes through the Sexual Assault Response Coordinator,” said Santiago. “A SARC can still refer restricted reports to us, and it won’t go any further unless the victim chooses to go unrestricted later.”
Sexual assault victims eligible for counsel include Air Force members, dependents of Air Force members, if the perpetrator is subject to the Uniform Code of Military Justice, Department of Defense civilians who are eligible for legal assistance, and basic military training and technical training students in entry-level status involved in an unprofessional relationship with physical contact of a sexual nature with faculty or staff.
“We cannot represent the victim in a civilian court, but we can advocate their interest to civilian prosecutors,” said Santiago. “We can help the victim through the process, and assist when they are going through a civilian prosecution.”
According to Tech. Sgt. Katrina Faircloth, AFLOA SVC paralegal, the program can be extremely helpful to sexual assault victims. The process can get overwhelming, and the SVC is there to alleviate the stress by helping the individual understand the military justice system.
“Clients working with SVCs are referred from the SARC, Family Advocacy, commanders, first sergeants, supervisors, the Office of Special Investigations or some may even reach out to us directly,” said Faircloth.
According to Santiago, SVCs are not the same as victims’ advocates, as they are not able to solicit clients.
“Once a sexual assault report is made by a client, we then begin doing an intake on them,” said Faircloth. “I take basic information from the client, and then detail them out to an attorney that will provide them the best representation. We consider things like attorney case load, their location, prior assignment (or if they’re a conflict of interest).”
According to Faircloth, once the attorney is detailed to a client, they will reach out to them and enter into an attorney-client relationship.
“The relationship between an attorney and a client is completely confidential, with few exceptions” said Faircloth. “If the attorney has a paralegal assigned to them the confidential information extends to them as well. Anything you say to the paralegal or attorney is protected under the Military Rule of Evidence 502, but only after the victim has been taken on as a client.”
As a SVP, Faircloth assists both the client and the attorney by tracking and keeping cases up-to-date and organized, to ensure the client has the most current status of their trial.
“My office is ran out of Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, and I am here for people who walk-in needing representation,” said Faircloth. “We handle cases all over the world, and conduct research to provide the client with the answers to make the best possible decisions as they move forward.”
“It is an amazing experience to watch someone grow from the worse event of their life, to be ready to face the world with a new outlook on life,” said Faircloth.
For more information, contact Tech. Sgt. Katrina Faircloth at 253-982-6741, or Capt. Catherine Santiago at 240-374-9658.
| Date Taken: | 09.30.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 09.30.2016 18:32 |
| Story ID: | 211082 |
| Location: | MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, MT, US |
| Web Views: | 261 |
| Downloads: | 1 |
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