Base raises awareness about sexual assault

  • Published
  • By Senior Airman Nicole Leidholm
  • Senior Airman Nicole Leidholm
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  April marks the annual national campaign for sexual assault awareness and prevention month.

The Department of Defense observes SAAPM by focusing on creating the appropriate culture to eliminate sexual assault and requiring a personal commitment from all service members at every level.

"Although we recognize that April is SAAPM, it's important to keep in mind that every month should focus on sexual assault and prevention, not just in the month of April," said Kirk Whitman, 60th Air Mobility Wing installation sexual assault response coordinator.

The Air Force has more than 110 SARCs, 70 full SAPR victim advocates, 30 special victim's counselors and nine special victim's unit senior trial counsels who dedicate 365 days per year to supporting victims and seeking justice. These dedicated helping agents are supported and empowered every day by 600,000 Total Force Airmen and civilians and their families.

"We want to be there, but not in your face," he said.

SAAPM events scheduled in April:

Rockin 5K Color Run
The SAPR office coordinated with the Fitness Center to put on a Rockin 5K Color Run or 1.8 mile walk April 2. The event is free and the first 400 registrants will receive a shirt. The event starts at 9 a.m. at the Exchange parking lot. Volunteer VAs will have informational tables.

Gate Handouts
Volunteer VAs will also be at the main, hospital and back gates passing out promotional items April 5 through 7 from 7 to 8:30 a.m.

Dorm Dessert Night
The SAPR office will be hosting a dessert night at the dorms, April 13 from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m.

"We want to show the Airmen that we're not the bad guys," Whitman said. "We will be there for awareness and talk to anyone who has questions."

The Air Force has noted that Airmen are feeling inundated by annual SAPR training and made changes to the way they train Airmen, Whitman said.

This year, the Air Force has moved away from the standard annual sexual assault refresher training to focus more on the Green Dot training program.

Green Dot prepares organizations to implement a strategy of violence prevention that reduces power-based interpersonal violence, which includes not only sexual violence, but also domestic violence, dating violence, stalking, child abuse, elder abuse and bullying.

While it's important for the base community to recognize that sexual assault prevention is a component of Green Dot, it does not encompass all of the incidents of interpersonal violence, said Emily Haley, Community Action Information Board community support coordinator at Travis.

"I think the misconception is it is so sexual-assault based, from what we understand," Haley said. "It includes much more than that."

The training follows an 11 percent increase in sexual assault reports involving service members during fiscal year 2014, according to the Defense Department's SAPR office. The number of sexual assaults in the Air Force increased 17 percent in fiscal year 2014, to 1,350 from 1,149. Statistical data for fiscal year 2015 is not yet available.

For more information on SAAPM, call the SARC at 424-1098. For more information on the Green Dot organization, visit livethegreendot.com http://livethegreendot.com.