Nonprofit Protect Our Defenders Partners With Volare to Expand Legal Support for Military Sexual Assault Survivors

Protect Our Defenders and Volare partner to provide free legal and therapeutic services for military-connected survivors, aiming to reduce service turn-aways.

By: AXL Media

Published: Mar 18, 2026, 11:05 AM EDT

Source: Information for this report was sourced from Stars and Stripes

Strategic Expansion Aimed at Reducing Service Gaps

The advocacy organization Protect Our Defenders has entered into a formal partnership with Volare, an entity focused on providing trauma-informed advocacy and legal services to crime victims. According to representatives from the nonprofit, the primary objective of this collaboration is to ensure that no military-connected survivor is turned away due to a lack of available resources. By adding more capacity to its existing legal support framework, the organization hopes to provide a more consistent safety net for those navigating the military justice system.

Integration of Therapy and Legal Representation

The new partnership incorporates Volare’s multidisciplinary approach, which combines legal aid with clinical therapy and advocacy. According to the announcement made on Monday, this model is designed to address the psychological impact of sexual trauma while simultaneously providing the technical expertise required for legal proceedings. The integration of these services suggests a shift toward a more holistic support structure for survivors, according to organizational leadership, moving beyond simple courtroom representation to include long-term recovery support.

Historical Shortfalls in Pro Bono Military Aid

The decision to expand follows a period where the demand for free legal services within the military community frequently exceeded the available supply. According to Protect Our Defenders, the group has historically faced challenges in providing assistance to every individual who requested it. By pooling resources with Volare, the nonprofit aims to build a scalable infrastructure capable of handling a higher volume of cases without compromising the quality of the trauma-informed care provided to service members.