Photo By Joshua Cox | Capt. Tim Kinsella, NAS Pensacola commanding officer, poses with NAS Pensacola Sexual...... read more read more
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By Ensign Jahanna Conner
Throughout the month of April, Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola joins the rest of the Department of Defense (DoD) in observing Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month (SAAPM).
The purpose of SAAPM is to raise awareness and prevent sexual assault from happening in the workplace. Being aware is not only having the knowledge that it occurs throughout the military, but understanding the scope, impacts, and proper resources that are available for victims of sexual assault. Preventing sexual violence requires sailors to be proactive and have the necessary skills to stop it before it happens.
This year will mark the DoD’s 17th annual observance of SAAPM. The ongoing theme is “Protecting Our People Protects Our Mission.” This is meant to emphasize the incorporation of primary prevention into the events that occur throughout the month.
Master-at-Arms Chief Petty Officer James Lumpkin is NAS Pensacola’s Sexual Assault Prevention and Response (SAPR) representative. In this role, he manages the SAPR Program at the command level. During the month of April, he would typically work with other SAPR representatives onboard NAS Pensacola to plan events for the month. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, events will be virtual this year, including a virtual 5k run.
Lumpkin stated that the goal of SAAPM is to, “Make sure everyone knows that there are resources available that they can utilize and that they are not alone.”
There are two reporting options for victims of sexual assault. Restricted and unrestricted reporting both provide the proper resources for those who have been affected by sexual violence. However, they each offer different benefits and have specific limitations. Restricted reporting is available to those who would like to confidentially disclose the crime without having an official investigation or notification sent to their command. Unrestricted reporting is available for those who would like to have an official investigation and command notification. If a victim chooses to make a restricted report, they can also choose to change it to an unrestricted report anytime during the process.
Sexual Assault Response Coordinators (SARCs) and Victim Advocates (VAs) are two valuable resources for those who have been affected by sexual violence. The SARC serves as a primary point of contact for coordinating victim care services. The VA is a volunteer who has undergone training to assist victims properly. Victims of sexual assault can report to both the SARC and VA whether it is a restricted or unrestricted report.
Anyone that is in immediate danger should call 911. Those who have been affected by sexual violence can contact the DoD 24/7 Safe Helpline at (877) 995-5247, their command SARC, or VA to receive support.
For more information on reporting options, visit the SAPR page on www.cnic.navy.mil.
| Date Taken: | 04.12.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 04.12.2021 16:26 |
| Story ID: | 393660 |
| Location: | PENSACOLA, FLORIDA, US |
| Web Views: | 114 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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