HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. -- Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month is observed in April each year.
The Sexual Assault Prevention and Response team will kick off SAAPM with an open house event from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. April[NALGUA1S1] 4, at the Welcome Center, here.
This event is the first of many hosted throughout April designed to generate awareness and inform Air Commandos of their options in response to instances of sexual assault.
“We use SAAPM events to provide information and options so that survivors can make informed decisions about the care options they may choose to utilize,” said Stephanie Witt, staff victim advocate for the Hurlburt SAPR office. “These events generate conversation not only about SAPR availability, but about the bigger message of sexual assault occurring, and what we can do as a community to first care for survivors, and second to aggressively work to eliminate unhealthy and predatory attitudes and behaviors which allow sexual violence to continue.”
The SAPR program’s mission is to provide response capability, victim advocacy, case management, and sexual assault awareness, prevention and response training to our military population.
“Our SAPR team is extremely committed to our Air Commandos,” said Capt. Ryan Corl, deputy sexual assault response coordinator for the Hurlburt SAPR office. “We are excited for the events that will take place throughout SAAPM. We want all Airmen and their families to know that the SAPR team is here for them.”
A month-long donation drive will be conducted to collect items such as canned and dry foods, personal care items and cleaning products. Everything collected will be given to a local domestic and sexual assault shelter. Donation boxes are located inside the front entrances of the Base Exchange, at the gas station shoppette and the Welcome Center.
The SAPR team plans to host three free showings of The Hunting Ground, April 13 at 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. and April 21 at 9 a.m. The documentary focuses on college campus sexual assault and will be used to facilitate a follow-on discussion of information on The Clery Act and Title IX.
“This event will generate awareness of sexual assault, response options and publicize assistance to military and civilian families with children attending or planning to attend college,” Witt said. “[The discussions will] educate parents and current or future college students on what rights and options are available to higher-learning institutions for sexual assault response actions.”
The SAPR office is scheduled to sponsor a Teal 5K run/walk at the Memorial Air Park April 19 at 7 a.m. The race is open to Air Commandos and their families and includes water, donuts and a free t-shirt to the first 100 participants.
“The mission at our SAPR office is to provide unparalleled, unbiased support and advocacy to any person who comes to our office looking for information, support and resources,” said Witt. “It is our duty to ensure the safety and well-being of individuals while being a single focal point of available crisis response and continued care for survivors, no matter where they are in their journey to lasting recovery.”
For additional information on SAAPM and SAPR, contact the SAPR office at (850) 884-1417/1172/6094.