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MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. -- Capt. Christopher Mangels, 5th Bomb Wing Assistant Staff Judge Advocate, is part of the team of legal experts selected to represent the Special Victims’ Counsel Program. As the representative of the pilot program, he will be providing victims of sexual assault with legal support throughout the military justice process. (U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Jose L. Hernandez)
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Base Legal Office: Special Victims’ Counsel Program to begin
Posted 1/16/2013 Updated 1/16/2013
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by Senior Airman Jose L. Hernandez
Minot Air Force Base Public Affairs
1/16/2013 - MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. -- The Air Force recently provided specialty training for only 60 attorneys Air Force-wide in order to take the lead in administering a pilot program aimed at providing legal assistance to victims of sexual assault.
The Special Victims' Counsel Program seeks to assist victims in navigating the criminal justice system by helping to protect their privacy and prevent unnecessary disclosure of intimate details. The program will also help support victims and their rights, while at the same time protecting the due process rights of the accused.
Capt. Christopher Mangels, 5th Bomb Wing Assistant Staff Judge Advocate, is part of the team of experts selected to represent the Special Victims' Counsel Program and will ensure these legal operations at the base run smoothly.
"I am both humbled and grateful to have this opportunity to serve as one of the inaugural members of what I think is an outstanding initiative by the Air Force to ensure that victims of sexual assault have a more powerful voice within the court-martial process," said Mangels.
The program is part of a long term agenda tackling the issue of domestic and sexual assaults throughout the Department of Defense and the Air Force.
The Chief of Staff of the Air Force, Gen. Mark A. Welsh, has already made it clear in recent remarks, that every Airman is critically important and deserves to be treated with respect. Welsh endorses this program adding it can help the Air Force succeed overall by helping those most in need.
Sexual assault victims often report the feeling of being re-victimized as they work their way through what can seem to be a complicated criminal justice system. In order to address the issue, Mangels explained the training he received focused on finding the options that can best be provided to victims.
He learned practical tips for advising victims on a broad array of legal and non-legal services the Air Force offers, not only to victims of sexual assaults, but also victims of crimes in general.
Learning how to speak and, more importantly, how to listen to victims to ensure they have a voice, was key for their training as well.
Mangels added his team received numerous briefings and worked on scenarios to understand how to best provide services to victims, whether it is in the judicial process or in other matters.
"The entire goal of the training was to learn how to empower victims and ensure they know they have a representative who is only working for their interests." said Mangels.
Since the program is in its initial phase, Special Victims' Counsel Program members will be balancing their regular duties with their newly trained skills as victim advocates. However, regional support offices are envisioned for the future.
"I think we are only seeing the tip of the iceberg now with the ways in which we know this program will benefit victims and the Air Force," Mangels said.
The benefits of the program include the empowerment of the victim and a stronger voice within the judicial process, an increase and more informed participation of victims, and hopefully a higher incidence of victim cooperation leading to more just outcomes, Mangels explained.
"The Air Force stands to gain immensely, in being the first military service to provide this level of representation to victims and the increased awareness that this carries. The Air Force is responding to the victim's needs and doing all it can to mitigate the terrible harm that results from these crimes," Mangels said. "I am confident this program will be a valuable part of the effort to treat sexual assault victims fairly and lower the overall rate of sexual assaults within the military."
For further information on the Special Victims' Counsel Program, please contact the legal office at 723-3026. |
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