Photo By Petty Officer 2nd Class Megan Brannon | Norfolk Naval Shipyard observes Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month (SAAPM)...... read more read more
Subscribe
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 50 percent of women have experienced sexual violence and almost one in three men. The estimated cost of rape is $122,461 per victim.
“Sexual assault is everyone’s problem,” said NNSY SAPR Administrative Victim Advocate(AVA) Aegis Second Class Sashalee Adams. “Men and women, both young and old, can be victims of sexual assault.”
Adams continued, “Regardless of race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, age, socioeconomic standing, marital status or any other factors, anyone can be a victim.”
Sexual assault is defined as illegal sexual contact that typically involves force without consent or is perpetuated on a person incapable of giving consent due to their age, physical or mental incapacity.
Norfolk Naval Shipyard (NNSY) will be commencing Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month (SAAPM) in April with a ceremony April 5. The shipyard holds command-sponsored events and other activities designed to raise awareness throughout the month to put a focus on the prevention of sexual assaults. As a community, we need to stand together to change harmful behaviors, provide support to survivors and encourage sexual assault prevention.
“Culture is at the core of who we are,” said NNSY Sexual Assault Response Coordinator Shalise Figueroa. “Within our divisions, units and teams, we are the majority and can create an environment that best represents who we are and who we want to be.”
Figueroa continues, “Committing to cultural change is how we begin preventing destructive behaviors like sexual assault from eroding the core values we endeavor to uphold. Every day is an opportunity to treat one another with respect, protect one another from harm, and to empower those around us to speak up or intervene.”
We all have a responsibility to promote a healthy work environment and respect our co-workers. At work, treat others with dignity and respect, be aware of a person’s personal space and do not touch them inappropriately, and have the confidence to let someone know when they have crossed the line, either verbally or physically.
If you see something, say something. Call people out for their inappropriate behavior, speak up when someone tells a sexual joke or makes a sexual comment about a co-worker, and don’t be complacent when you hear discriminatory or harmful language or observe toxic behavior. We need to work together to create a positive, inclusive environment for everyone.
According to the Department of the Navy Sailors who experience one of the following Top 5 Signals may be at increased risk of sexual assault: sexual harassment, gender discrimination, lack of responsibility and active intervention, lack of respect and cohesion and workplace hostility.
“Norfolk Naval Shipyard personnel need to take responsibility for preventing the ‘Top 5 Signals’ that put people at increased risk of sexual assault,” said Figueroa. “We must encourage healthy climates in our commands, work centers, codes and shops that emphasize NNSY’s core values.”
“Leadership can contribute to preventing sexual assaults by making it widely known that any allegations of sexual assault are taken seriously, take actions to prevent command gossip and victim shaming, and be proactive to stop harmful behaviors before they escalate into a sexual assault,” said Adams.
The 2024 theme for Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention month in April will be “STEP FORWARD. Prevent. Report. Advocate.” The campaign asks everyone to work together in preventing and responding to sexual violence.
“While April brings a spotlight to sexual assault prevention, it is a year-long campaign that is fought on a daily basis by the SAPR team and commands,” said Adams.
“I am asking each one of you to treat your coworkers with the same dignity and respect that you expect to receive,” said Shipyard Commander Captain Jip Mosman. “It takes a unified workforce to meet our mission and we need to continue to foster a culture of care, ownership, respect and excellence.”
| Date Taken: | 03.11.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 03.28.2024 12:26 |
| Story ID: | 467263 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 67 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, STEP FORWARD. PREVENT. REPORT. ADVOCATE. Norfolk Naval Shipyard Kicks off Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month Highlighting Effective Prevention, by Susanne Greene, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
No keywords found.
LEAVE A COMMENT