NSF Diego Garcia Takes Steps to Keep SAPR UVAs and Clients Safe

Photo By Petty Officer 3rd Class Jillian Grady | DIEGO GARCIA, British Indian Ocean Territory (December 17, 2019) – Bethany Cortes, Navy Support Facility (NSF) Diego Garcia’s Sexual Assault Response Coordinator (SARC) poses for a photo in her office onboard Diego Garcia Dec. 17. NSF Diego Garcia provides logistic, service, recreational and administrative support to U.S. and Allied Forces forward deployed to the Indian Ocean and Arabian Gulf. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Jillian F. Grady)  

DIEGO GARCIA, BRITISH INDIAN OCEAN TERRITORY

04.08.2020

Story by Petty Officer 3rd Class Jillian Grady 

U.S. Navy Support Facility Diego Garcia

DIEGO GARCIA, British Indian Ocean Territory – Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention month began April 1, and despite the current COVID-19 situation, Diego Garcia’s Sexual Assault Prevention and Response (SAPR) program continues.

Prevention measures have been put in place to keep both uniformed victim advocates (UVA) and clients safe.

SAPR UVAs have been instructed not to conduct face-to-face responses until further notice. They will communicate with clients through telephone and email. Additionally, UVAs have received temporary permission to use virtual platforms. Client intake will be done by scanning necessary documents to the client.

UVAs have been instructed to brief their clients of the privacy concerns of using virtual platforms.

Diego Garcia is currently observing HPCON Charlie. As a result, service members and civilians have needed to maintain six feet social distance, events have been canceled, and most departments have gone down to 50% manning.

The COVID-19 situation has intensified as the worldwide number of cases has past 1 million and there have been approximately 12,064 deaths in the United States as of April 8, according to the Center for Disease Control.

For more information, visit https://www.sapr.mil. Service members on Diego Garcia can also reach out to the command sexual assault response coordinator (SARC), Bethany Cortes.

NSF Diego Garcia provides logistic, service, recreational and administrative support to U.S. and Allied Forces forward deployed to the Indian Ocean and Arabian Gulf.

• Date Taken: 04.08.2020
• Date Posted: 04.07.2020 23:01
• Story ID: 366825
• Location: DIEGO GARCIA, IO