 So the Chaplain Corps is a first responder in many of these situations that really deal with the health and welfare of an individual Whether it's a sailor whether it's a family member We really see ourselves as on the front line if you will of helping people to understand that they have somebody that they can go to That when something has happened and they don't really know where to turn That chaplains and the Chaplain Corps in general Are the place where they can go they have 100% confidentiality Chaplains are peas know what the system is know where to help to guide people where they can get Assistance whatever that assistance looks like whether it's medical assistance whether it's mental health assistance or or to advocate within the command The chaplains really have the opportunity because we are and have access to just about everywhere within a command We have a pretty good understanding of what's available to the sailor when they need help especially in crisis What I would really hope that people would understand and certainly as the chief of chaplains and I represent all the chaplains who are out There I would hope that if somebody has experienced something as traumatic as that is is that you would realize that we're not here to judge We're here to listen We're here to help you to come to a sense of hope and wholeness and That we're not going to decide whether that situation was right or wrong We're going to give you a sanctuary where you can come and work through work it through and then you decide What you want to do with that? The other challenge that comes with individuals and chaplains is that you think many times that we're mandatory reporters Well, we're not you know, we don't report anything what you tell me stays with me What you tell any one of our chaplains and oh by the way if you happen to tell a religious program specialist an RP You know as you're trying to get an appointment with the chaplain if you reveal something to that RP the RP can't say anything either We're not mandatory reporters What we are however Again as an opportunity for you to kind of sort through what you want to do with that situation Do you want to report it? They're going to help you to get to the people who are going to enable you to make a restricted report Or to the people who are going to help you make an unrestricted report, but we're not going to do it You are and we're going to stand by you and we're going to come alongside you as you make that report or make that decision And even if that decision is not to say anything not to report anything. We're there to assist you with that There's a reason why someone Commits sexual assault. There's a reason why somebody creates an environment that is uncomfortable for the people around them And it's because they're dealing with something deep dark inside of them that they haven't reconciled with If you are a perpetrator You need to understand that chaplains are here for you, too I guarantee you don't like what you're doing that may not have come to your conscience But I'm certain it's in your subconscious and if just by me telling you that you have someone you need To talk to about that stuff that's going on inside of you You can come to us as well 100% confidentiality You got to stop what you're doing You got to come face-to-face with what's right and wrong and what you know to be right and wrong and To enable you to take your part to stop what you're doing That is Eroding the mission. It's eroding the command climate It's eroding the value of every other human being around you, but more importantly, it's eroding your spirit It's a hard thing to do because this is a human institution, but chaplains are there to step into the fray and To ensure that you as the victim you as the one who has survived this encounter Know that there's somebody who will stand alongside you and advocate for you and in many ways protect you from that sort of fear