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Pentagon launches chat room for sex assault victims
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/05/30/chat-room-for-military-sex-assault-victims/2373843/WASHINGTON -- The military has launched an online chat room for troops who are victims of sexual abuse, the Pentagon announced on Thursday.
The Safe HelpRoom was created based on input from callers to the Pentagon's sexual assault victim hotline, which provides round-the-clock assistance to victims of assault.
"This is one of our three pillars -- victim support, accountability and prevention," Col. Steve Warren, a Pentagon spokesman said. "This pillar is victim support."
The military is grappling with what its most senior leaders refer to as a crisis in sexual assault and harassment in its ranks. A report earlier this month estimated there were 26,000 instances of sexual abuse in the military in 2012, a 35% increase from 2010. The chat room is the latest initiative to address the problem.