Classes, hotline fight sexual assault

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Jacob Morgan
  • 436th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. --  Today marks the beginning of Sexual Assault Awareness Month. This year, programs from the Department of Defense all the way to Dover Air Force Base, Del., are being offered to prevent and treat sexual assault.

Sexual assault is one of the nation's most underreported crimes according to the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network.

To help combat underreporting, Dover AFB is offering multiple classes stretched throughout April available for servicemembers and their families.

"These classes are important for our Airmen, our civilians and our families," said Col. Mark Camerer, 436th Airlift Wing commander. "I applaud our Dover Air Force Base staff for taking the initiative and developing a unique and engaging format to address this important issue."

Dover AFB's Sexual Assault Prevention and Response program is scheduled to hold three different classes, offered exclusively at Dover AFB; "Hip-Hop: Beyond Beats & Rhymes," "Rape is..." and "I Never Thought it Was Rape."

Ann McMillan, Dover AFB's Sexual Assault Response coordinator, said the three classes are an opportunity for Team Dover members to learn about sexual assault and what the challenges are for people to do the right thing.

"These classes give an opportunity to raise awareness about sexual assault and its long-term impact on both survivors and perpetrators," said Ms. McMillan. "I think these classes are important for anyone at Dover AFB. These classes can help us open up important conversations with our Airmen, friends and family."

The goal of the SAPR staff is to get discussion started among Team Dover members, said Ms. McMillan. If people walk away with a new point of view or understanding, SAPR staff will have accomplished their goal.

In addition, Air Force-wide training, titled "Bystander Intervention Training," is starting up in April at Dover AFB. This training is intended to help Airmen realize their biases that prevent them from recognizing sexual assault.

"Bystander Intervention Training helps us have a better understand of what is going on when we intervene in certain situations and not when we intervene in others," said Ms. McMillan. "This can mean we step in early to prevent something happening or step up to help out afterwards when support is needed."

The Dover AFB classes and training should give Team Dover members the knowledge and strength to notice and report sexual assault.

Available as of today is a DOD Safe Helpline, which should give Team Dover an unlimited ability to report.

The DOD Safe Helpline is a program designed to help active-duty, reserve and National Guard members receive one-on-one assistance and crisis support securely and anonymously. The programs secondary goal is to increase the likelihood of victims reporting.

The DOD Safe Helpline's motto is "Help is just a click, call or text away." This means DOD members can log online at safehelpine.org, call a telephone hotline, or text for information on the closest SAPR facility.

This year's theme for Sexual Assault Awareness Month is "Hurts One, Affects All". "Choosing to intervene or not can also hurt one and affect all," said Ms. McMillan. "Stepping up is the right thing to do."

"We cannot allow this destructive behavior to persist in our Air Force," said Colonel Camerer. "Every Airman has the moral obligation and professional duty to intervene appropriately and prevent an assault, even when it means taking difficult or unpopular actions."