SAPR Awareness Month

ARABIAN GULF

05.05.2020

Story by Seaman Apprentice Travis Decker 

USS Bataan (LHD 5)

During the month of April, the amphibious assault ship USS Bataan’s (LHD5) Sexual Assault Prevention and Response (SAPR) team held several events aboard the ship to raise awareness and bring about healthy efforts in focus for Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Awareness month.
The events began with a heartfelt ceremony hosted by the SAPR victim advocates and included speeches from Bataan’s Commanding Officer Capt. Gregory Leland and SAPR Program Coordinator Lt. Joshua Lawrence, immediately followed by a cake-cutting ceremony to kick off the month’s events. Following the cake cutting, Bataan’s SAPR team hosted a 5k run on the flight deck and a series of bingo games with SAPR themes and trivia on the mess decks. Bataan’s SAPR team finished out the month by hosting an ice cream social for the all onboard.
At the close of the month, Hospital Corpsman 2nd Class Alissa Hipner, a Bataan SAPR Victim Advocate, found the efforts of the team to be successful in more ways than one.
“SAPR awareness month has helped not only boost moral with the positive events that we sponsored, but it has also raised awareness for what the program is all about,” said Hipner. “It also helped put names to the faces of our victim advocates for the Marines and Sailors around the command. Because of this, they’re now able to understand all of the resources that are offered through the program and also who we can refer someone to if a Sailor or Marine is in need of SAPR services.”
Lawrence is already planning for the future and what his team hopes to accomplish.
“It’s actually a very important time for us here being between end of deployment and the return to homeport,” said Lawrence. “Looking at data from other ships we’ve seen, this is a period where not just sexual assault, but other destructive behaviors are increasingly likely. So the team is excited about what we did this month, but this is just the beginning for us. We’re going to keep the efforts on to keep up the awareness.”
Established in 1994, the SAPR program has had significant effects on the Navy since its inception.
“The SAPR program is a huge win for the Navy ever since it was implemented,” said Hipner. “Not only does it show that the Navy is concerned and willing to help Sailors who have gone through such a traumatizing situation, it gives a large list of resources to ensure Sailors’ and Marines’ careers stay on track.”

• Date Taken: 05.05.2020
• Date Posted: 05.18.2020 06:50
• Story ID: 370044
• Location: ARABIAN GULF