Photo By Tech. Sgt. JT Armstrong | Capt. Samuel Jordan, Special Victims’ Counsel attorney, and Staff Sgt. Lauren...... read more read more
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When that trust has been violated, the Special Victims’ Counsel Program is there to help.
What is the SVC Program?
The SVC program’s mission can be summarized as: providing sexual assault survivors with compassionate representation through expert legal advice and effective advocacy within the military justice process. In short, they help survivors confidently exercise their voice and rights.
What cannot be simply summarized is the dedication and expertise that Minot Air Force Base’s SVC team directs towards helping victims of sexual crimes. You may be surprised to know that the team is comprised of only two members, Capt. Samuel Jordan, Special Victims’ Counsel attorney, and Staff Sgt. Lauren Harris, SVC paralegal. As part of only 40 SVC units world-wide, they cover a region including: Malmstrom AFB, Montana, Ellsworth AFB, South Dakota, Grand Forks AFB, North Dakota in addition to Minot AFB.
Jordan and Harris work together, directly alongside and talk with survivors because each person is unique.
“Everyone responds differently to a sexual assault so the healing process is different for each individual,” said Jordan. “We learn what will help them heal, and then we make it happen. We bring our legal and military expertise and relationships with base agencies that we’ve developed and get our survivors the help they need.”
Unlike the base legal office, the SVC specializes in victim rights. The job of the legal office is prosecuting and keeping good order and discipline. They advise investigators and commanders and their best interests and the best interests of the victim may not always be the same.
“We form an attorney-client privilege relationship with our client, that allows us to provide personalized and confidential legal advice,” said Jordan. “When victims talk with prosecuting attorneys, investigators or members of the legal office about the case, those discussions are not covered by attorney-client privilege.”
The SVC goes beyond just helping survivors navigate the military justice process. They help victims connect with counseling services from Mental Health, support from a victim advocate or Sexual Assault Response Coordinators and chaplains.
“For the past four years, I’ve worked in the legal offices and this side is more compassionate,” said Harris. “I get to take the more compassionate role of helping the victim get through the process and find that healing or closure they need to move on with their life.”
The SVC’s ultimate goal is to help the victim get back on their feet, and focus on getting back to their life and their Air Force careers.
“As a part of the recovery process, we give victims the ability to exert some control over decisions,” said Jordan. “Their assailant took control away from them and what we do is help take control back.”
| Date Taken: | 02.01.2016 |
| Date Posted: | 04.19.2016 09:30 |
| Story ID: | 195765 |
| Location: | MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, NORTH DAKOTA, US |
| Web Views: | 40 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, SVC: Finding Healing for Survivors, by TSgt JT Armstrong, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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