April is Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month, which ensures Airmen and families are aware of the resources available. The Air Force Special Victims' Counsel (SVC) is one of the many resources members can use for legal advice and independent legal representation. The SVC attorneys report directly to the Air Force Legal Operations Agency, keeping them out of the local chains of command and base legal office. Attorneys selected for this position go through extensive training. Paralegals assigned to the SVC learn about trauma and how to communicate with victims, what type of questions to ask and how to interact with them. The assigned attorney is with the victim throughout the interviews, hearings and courts-martial to provide them with the legal advice and support they need.
For more Air Force news, visit the Military.com News Center. For more news related to sexual assault and the military, see this Military.com section.
