Center Highlight

“Putting a Band-Aid on a Gushing Chest Wound”

Ann McCarty of North County Rape Crisis and Child Protection Center Talks with the Faxletter about Collaborating with the Military

Ann McCarty has been at the North County Rape Crisis and Child Protection Center since 1994. She is the Program Director and works extensively with her local military base. Her husband has been in the military for 20 years.

FL: What military installations are in your community?

AM: Vandenberg Air Force Base - Vandenberg covers 98,500 acres, has more than 2,000 family housing units and approximately 3,000 buildings providing support to more than 18,000 people (military members and their families, retirees, civilians and contractors).

FL: How long have you worked with Vandenberg Air Force Base?

AM: We moved to California in 1993, and I was hired at the Center in 1994. My relationship with Vandenberg officials began immediately.

FL: What collaborative efforts existed when you first started? What has changed?

AM: There was a basic relationship with the base. The Air Force’s Victim Witness Assistance Program has been crucial in developing a good relationship. Now, we get volunteers from the base, train the base law enforcement, and have an operational agreement with the Victim Witness Assistance Program as well as the Office of Special Investigations to provide services.

FL: When did you first start to hear about the recent scandal at the Air Force Academy?

AM: I’ve mostly been focused on local issues. Through my work with the Victim Witness Assistance Program (VWAP) on base, I’ve been telling the base that there is a problem for years, so let’s fix them. They’ve been trying to put a band-aid on a gushing chest wound. The scandals in the military have created a lot of pressure to finally address the problem of sexual assault at Vandenberg. Fortunately, we had a running start when they were ready to deal with it, and we’ve got a very supportive Command at this point. While we’ve had a VWAP on base for many years, the Sexual Assault Task Force was created as a direct result of the scandals that hit the news. Still at first when the task force was formed, even though we’ve had this relationship with the base for years, we were not immediately invited to the table.

FL: In your experience, what challenges do survivors in the military face?

AM: The same as every survivor. However, in the military, a survivor worries that his/her career could be jeopardized by reporting (although the Air Force is trying to address that issue now). The fear of retribution is an important factor. For example, there are a lot of alcohol involved sexual assaults. Underage drinking in the military can be a punishable offense so many survivors are afraid to report it.

FL: In your experience, how does the issue of confidentiality affect survivors in the military?

AM: There isn’t confidentiality in the military. They need to address that issue and create a safe environment for survivors to report. It’s important to promote the services of the agencies in the community, like rape crisis centers, that have confidentiality.

FL: How can rape crisis centers ease the challenges survivors in the military face?

AM: First you have to have a relationship with the base so that they will call you when a survivor presents themselves. If they don’t already utilize the SART, encourage them to do so. Provide training to the First Responders on base, just like you do the local law enforcement agencies. Find ways, through Family Support agencies on base to get your information out there, so survivors know they have a safe place to go and call when they are in crisis.

FL: How can rape crisis centers collaborate with the military?

AM: Find the person who provides victim assistance on the base and dialogue with them. Invite them out to lunch. Invite them to SART meetings. Have the base provide training to your volunteers and staff so that your organization has a basic understanding of the military judicial system. Instead of butting heads, build a relationship. One thing that’s paramount is to make sure that the base reaches out. First, try to get people involved (such as through volunteer advocate training) with the rape crisis center who have an affiliation or an “in” with the military. My husband’s experience in the military (and my experiences by being with him) has opened many doors. Second, once you’re in, keep working! Address problems when they arise. Don’t let the military bully you because others view them as being in a “power position”. Realize that they have a different way of thinking and you won’t always see eye-to-eye. They seldom think outside the box, so you have to…

Ann is available to problem solve and share her experiences with the military by email at amccarty@quik.com and by telephone (805) 736-8535.

Did You Know...