Promoting awareness through action

  • Published
  • By Rhonda Siciliano
  • 66th Air Base Wing Public Affairs
HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. --  The month of April is recognized nationally as Sexual Assault Awareness Month, created to raise awareness and promote the prevention of sexual violence in America. 

In a speech to the Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Leadership Summit in November, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton A. Schwartz said, "Sexual assault and the contributing behaviors surrounding it are terrible in both effect and complexity. We are still learning about the impact of this criminal behavior on its victims, how it devastates our ability to accomplish the mission and what each and every one of us can do to eliminate it." 

Last year the Air Force experienced an eight percent rise in the number of sexual assaults reported. 

Col. Jeff Mayo, 66th Air Base Wing vice commander, attended the summit and stated that General Schwartz characterized sexual assault as a "blue on blue" problem. Its Airmen preying on Airmen and that's not acceptable or characteristic of our wingman culture. 

"Being a good Wingman means respecting one another and looking out for each other," said Colonel Mayo. "If you see someone in a potentially dangerous situation, take action to help them, don't just stand by and watch a bad situation unfold, do your part to prevent it. It may not be the easiest thing to do but it's the right thing." 

The Department of Defense has launched a new Web site and marketing campaign to help educate and inform personnel of the resources available to combat sexual assaults, the Web site can be found at http://www.sapr.mil/. The campaign's slogan is "Our strength is for defending." 

The awareness month campaign will provide military members and their leaders' helpful tools to educate each other to enhance knowledge and awareness. Schedules of events and activities throughout the year as well as training tools and materials can be found on the new Web site. 

At Hanscom a victim support system is in place to provide 24-hour, seven-day-week sexual assault response assistance for all victims. Victims can call (781) 377-SARC or (781) 377-7272 for help. 

For more information on sexual assault prevention, training or reporting contact Lydia Hughes, Hanscom Sexual Assault Response coordinator at 781-377-8364.