April marks sexual assault awareness and prevention month and the military has focused much effort on its prevention and care for victims of sexual assault. One program lauded as an innovative approach to victim support is the U.S. Navy’s Victims’ Legal Counsel Program.
Lt. Elizabeth Jarczyk, a military lawyer with the Navy’s Judge Advocate General’s Corps, was chosen as one of the Navy’s Victims’ Legal Counsel (VLC) in Japan to carry-on this program. Jarczyk provides legal services to eligible victims of sexual offenses, including assistance and advocacy in the investigative and military justice processes. The VLC Program became fully operational on Jan. 1, 2014 and now consists of 33 specially trained judge advocates in 25 fleet locations around the world.
Jarczyk started her career as a Navy Trial Counsel, prosecuting sexual assault and domestic violence cases. She went on to serve as Command Judge Advocate, Naval Base Coronado, where she advised commanders on military justice, ethics, and administrative law for one of the Navy’s largest installations. In May 2016, Jarczyk was personally selected by the Judge Advocate General of the Navy to serve as a VLC.
“The Navy is committed to protecting the rights and interests of victims of sexual assault and ensuring the administration of a fair, transparent and efficient military justice system that guarantees due process for the accused and promotes good order and discipline,” said Vice Adm. James Crawford III, Judge Advocate General of the Navy.
The Navy implemented the VLC Program to offer a military attorney to represent and assist victims of sexual offenses. VLC assist victims with legal decisions; represent them in military courts; advocate on their behalf to investigators, commanders, and prosecutors; and provide other legal advice and assistance connected to the sexual offense. VLC operate independently and are not within the chain of command of the offender, the victim or prosecutors. Since the Program’s inception, Navy VLC have assisted more than 2,780 victims around the world (as of April 2017).
“The VLC Program serves a critical mission of facilitating the administration of justice while safeguarding the rights of our sailors,” said Jarczyk, “our program also assists Navy commanders in their desire to support their servicemembers and ultimately execute their operational mission.”
The VLC Program helps victims understand the investigative and military justice processes, which can sometimes become overwhelming to a victim.
“Serving as a VLC is an opportunity to be at the cutting edge of both military justice and the practice of law, and it is fulfilling serve our sailors through the most trying time of their lives,” said Jarczyk.
Jarczyk is making an impact on the world as a Navy lawyer.
| Date Taken: | 04.01.2017 |
| Date Posted: | 04.19.2017 12:53 |
| Story ID: | 230838 |
| Location: | US |
| Hometown: | PHOENIX, AZ, US |
| Web Views: | 60 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Phoenix native joins innovative advocacy efforts in the U.S. Navy for victims of sexual assault, by Natalie Morehouse, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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