Photo By Regena Kowitz | Cmdr. Elizabeth Zuloaga, Naval Medical Forces Pacific regional Sexual Assault Medical...... read more read more
Story by MC1 Tracey Bannister
While April is the month when communities across the nation raise awareness about sexual assault, the prevention of sexual assault is a continuous effort at commands in the Naval Medical Forces Pacific (NMFP) region throughout the year.
“April is often an opportunity for renewed commitment to the prevention of sexual assault,” said Cmdr. Elizabeth Zuloaga, the NMFP regional Sexual Assault Medical Forensic Examiner (SAMFE) program manager and Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Officer (SAPR), “We must remind ourselves that to be successful, our efforts must extend past April.”
As the regional manager for sexual assault prevention, Zuloaga’s mission is to support SAPR program policies and procedures within NMFP’s subordinate commands—10 military treatment facilities (MTF), two dental treatment facilities, and eight Navy Medicine research commands—and to ensure the DoD standard of care for sexual assault victims is met at each MTF.
Zuloaga provides annual SAPR training to command personnel, confirms compliance at the commands with sexual assault reporting requirements, and collaborates with Sexual Assault Response Coordinators (SARC) and SAPR victim advocates (VA) for continuous monitoring of established prevention efforts. Quarterly meetings and report tracking give updated information to assess issues, needs, trends, and present recommendations.
“I consider myself fortunate to have been given this opportunity to join a team with such a fine reputation for its service,” said Zuloaga, referring to NMFP and the support provided to commands throughout the region.
The NMFP region connects their commands to resources and services, including Naval Base San Diego Fleet and Family Support Center SAPR Program, SARCs, SAPR VAs, SAPR workshops, posters and other informational materials, General Military Training (GMT), and SAMFE services.
Another resource available for personnel who have been affected by sexual assault is the DoD Safe Helpline. It provides anonymous, live, one-on-one crisis intervention, support, information, and resources to members of the DoD community. Safe Helpline is available anytime, anywhere by calling 1-877-995-5247 or visiting online at safehelpline.org. This valuable resource can help members locate the nearest SARC and SAPR VA’s.
The past year dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic has presented challenges, and operations within NMFP have adjusted for the changes. Live training sessions have been suspended and more virtual training options are being utilized. Victim Advocacy (SARC) response is being provided telephonically until normal operations resume.
“As we planned for April 2021, we anticipated that many of our observances would need to be conducted online,” said Zuloaga. “Innovating and improving our approaches should be our goal this year.”
The focus for SAPR moved towards prevention.
“Shifting the spotlight to prevention does not mean that awareness should go away,” Zuloaga said. “Awareness will always be important. Prevention starts with awareness of the scope and impact, available resources, and ending victim blaming.”
SAPR training has recently changed to a more comprehensive approach led by instructors with in-depth group discussions. This new approach, according to Zuloaga, focuses on what we can do to prevent sexual assault before it occurs, such as active intervention skills and culture change.
“The training’s content is focused on proactive instead of reactive behaviors, reinforcing a culture in which sexual assault is not tolerated, said Zuloaga. “Individuals and groups build the skills they need to successfully intervene.”
Commands and personnel have been receptive and optimistic about the new training.
“This approach has helped to gain a better understanding of the topic for everyone, starting from leadership to the deck-plate sailors,” Zuloaga said. “As we shift to more primary prevention-oriented messaging, we want to add action. The goal is for participants to leave the training with a new skill or an increased likelihood of demonstrating a new behavior.”
Sexual assault prevention training and awareness activities, according to Zuloaga, should extend over the course of the year to avoid training fatigue and be a sustained effort for engagement in prevention year round.
“Thanks to increased focus on sexual assault, there is always new information to share,” said Zuloaga. “Knowing your audience and integrating their needs into your event goals will help you target awareness efforts to maximize their impact.”
Naval Medical Forces Pacific (NMFP) is Navy Medicine's regional command in the Western Pacific. NMFP provides care to more than 675,000 beneficiaries comprised of active duty personnel, retirees, and their family members. The regional headquarters is located at Naval Base San Diego, with Military Treatment Facilities (MTFs) and dental centers throughout the U.S. West Coast, Hawaii, Japan, and Guam.
| Date Taken: | 04.13.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 04.13.2021 14:49 |
| Story ID: | 393734 |
| Location: | SAN DIEGO, CA, US |
| Web Views: | 201 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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