The Difference Starts With You
April is Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month
14 April 2017
April is Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month (SAAPM). While sexual assault awareness and prevention are year-round efforts, SAAPM is a time when both military and civilian organizations engage their communities to identify and strengthen the roles that individuals and institutions play in combatting sexual assault.
Every Sailor is responsible for preventing sexual assault. Regardless of pay grade or job specialty, each Sailor is obligated to report harassment and other misconduct, and to uphold Navy core values.
The reality is that the vast majority of people do not commit sexual assault. These crimes are perpetrated by only a few, which means that our Navy community has the power to end sexual violence. Sailors must understand consent, engage in active intervention and report any incidents of sexual assault or harassment.
They should also know the different resources available for victims such as how to find local sexual assault response coordinators (SARC) and SAPR victim advocates (VA). If you or someone you know has been a victim of sexual violence, you can also call the Department of Defense Safe Helpline: 1-877-995-5247, or visit
https://www.safehelpline.org.
For more information on SAPR, click
here.
To learn more about SAPR reporting options, read
"Six Things You Need To Know."