April Is Sexual Assault Awareness Month!

  • Published
  • By TSgt Melinda Santiago
  • 436th Aerial Port Squadron
DOVER AIR FORCE BASE, Del. --  As a volunteer with the Sexual Assault Prevention and Response (SAPR) program, I have had many opportunities to reach out to my fellow Airmen and educate them on the things they can do to help prevent sexual assaults, like how to be a good bystander and what resources are available to them. Wanting to do more, I became a certified Victim Advocate (VA) and am now qualified to help people deal with the trauma of sexual assault.

So what exactly is sexual assault? Believe it or not, I get that question quite frequently. Sexual assault is defined as intentional sexual contact, characterized by use of force, threats, intimidation, abuse of authority, or when the victim does not or cannot consent. Consent comes in the form of words or overt acts indicating a freely given agreement to the sexual conduct by a competent person. Remember: if someone is underage, under the influence, or under duress, they cannot give consent!

Along with education, as a VA, it is up to me to be there for a survivor when they feel as though the whole world is against them. I have had victims tell me that they are worried about what other people may think of them; that they have heard jokes being made at their expense; and that they don't want to press charges because they don't know how the process works. It is my duty to make sure they are aware of all of the services and options available to them. I've explained how a rape kit is collected, walked over to the Legal Office to inquire about the judicial process, and sat for hours over cups of coffee. I have made trips to the emergency room, sat in on interviews with witnesses, and been present during trail, all because a survivor asked me to do so. I try to put the power they have lost back in their lives and assure them that they are not alone. This is one of the hardest and most demanding responsibilities I have ever had; however, seeing someone through such a traumatic experience is extremely rewarding.

In my opinion, the Air Force Chief of Staff, General Mark Welsh III, summed it up best when he said, "We must eliminate sexual assault in our ranks." In order to maintain the standards we as Airmen have set for ourselves, as well as the standards the American people have set for us, each of us must do our part to ensure sexual assault is eradicated from the Air Force. I know that as a volunteer Victim Advocate I am doing my part to help educate and take care of my fellow Airmen.

In the event sexual assault affects your life, either as a survivor or a supporter of a survivor, there are many resources available to help you get through this trauma. A great place to start your quest for answers is your base Sexual Assault Response Coordinator (SARC), or a VA. We are always more than willing to sit down and answer any questions you may have, for yourself or someone else. If you would rather do your own research, there are a lot of good links and articles located at http://www.afpc.af.mil/library/sapr. There are also several agencies that you can contact, such as the DOD Safe Helpline (877-995-5247, or online at https://safehelpline.org) or RAINN, the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network (800-656-HOPE, or @http://www.rainn.org), just to name a few.

The most important thing to remember is, no matter what, no one is alone in this journey. Whether you are a survivor or a supporter, please know that help is out there. Bottom line: we must take care of one another. It is up to each of us to make sure sexual assaults are no longer an issue in the Air Force. In the words of Secretary Donley, when talking about sexual assault, "We need to crack down on this harder than ever to get this out of our culture."