Photo By Janice Erdlitz | Lyster Army Health Clinic and AMCOM Combined Logistics Command (ACLC) hosted a Denim...... read more read more
Lyster Army Health Clinic staff and members from the Fort Novosel community showed their commitment to raise awareness about SAAPM during the annual Denim Day Walk here on April 23.
Lyster and AMCOM Combined Logistics Command (ACLC) hosted the event in recognition of Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month or SAAPM -- an annual campaign to raise public awareness about sexual assault and educate communities on how to prevent sexual violence.
“Today, we’re committed to bringing awareness and showing our support for Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month. The Denim Day Walk is a visual way to show our solidarity and raise awareness about SHARP and SAAPM programs that provide support, advocacy, and prevention education in our community,” Lt. Col. Leah Steder, commander of Lyster Army Health Clinic said in opening remarks kicking off the annual walk.
New to this year’s walk was the collaboration with AMCOM Combined Logistics Command. Throughout the month of April, notecards were collected from members of both commands with words of encouragement for survivors. Participants had the opportunity to carry a denim pocket filled with these written messages to show their support of the weight and stress survivors must carry.
Prior to the start of the walk, COL Timothy Harloff, Commander, AMCOM Combined Logistics Command (ACLC) shared the words of encouragement written by the community in support of survivors of sexual assault. Along the 1-mile walk route, signs were on display sharing Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention (SHARP) facts. “It’s an honor to partner with Lyster this year to support this symbolic event. We look forward to doing this again in the future,” remarked Harloff.
Denim became an international symbol to protest sexual assault and victim blaming after the infamous 1989 Italian Supreme Court decision that overturned a guilty verdict against a 45-year-old driving instructor who had raped his 18-year-old driving student during her first driving lesson. The judges argued that the teen's denim jeans were too tight for the assailant to remove alone, thereby indicating she must have assisted in the sexual act and, in so doing, given her consent. The decision sparked outrage and led to the start of Denim Day.
The Army's 2025 SAAPM theme is "STEP FORWARD. Prevent. Report. Advocate." The campaign website said the theme is a call to action for all individuals to use their personal and collective strength to advance meaningful change in preventing and responding to sexual violence. A culture of prevention builds a healthier and more positive climate, and this requires the participation and commitment of each member of the Army community.
Steder concluded, “Our strength lies in the resilience, trust, and unwavering commitment of our Soldiers. Sexual assault and harassment erode that foundation. They silence voices, shatter unit cohesion, and divert critical resources away from our primary mission. During Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month, we reaffirm our dedication to fostering a climate of respect, where every Soldier can thrive, report without fear, and contribute their full potential to our nation's defense,” said Steder. “A strong, ready Army is built on the well-being of its people”
More information is available from the following resources:
• National Sexual Assault Hotline 800-656-HOPE
• DoD Safe Helpline https://www.safehelpline.org
• Fort Novosel Installation 24/7 SHARP Hotline 334-470-6629
| Date Taken: | 04.23.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 05.13.2025 10:58 |
| Story ID: | 497812 |
| Location: | FORT NOVOSEL , ALABAMA, US |
| Web Views: | 27 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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