The 20th Fighter Wing Sexual Assault Prevention and Response office recognized Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month with an open house at Shaw Air Force Base, S.C., April 12.
The event gave Team Shaw members the opportunity to learn more about programs such as SAPR, Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention, comfort dogs and the Special Victims’ Counsel.
Attendees were challenged with trivia questions such as identifying what consent is and reporting options available for victims. These questions encouraged visitors to converse with available representatives and learn about their programs.
Sgt. 1st Class Jacqueline Alston, U.S. Army Central Sexual Assault Response Coordinator, represented SHARP during the open house and said it was awesome to coordinate with the SAPR office to get the word out about sexual assault prevention and resources, and discuss ideas to better help Airmen and Soldiers.
One way Team Shaw members can help the cause is by ensuring information is disseminated.
“Even if it was just one point that you learned while you were here, it’s something that you walked away with,” said 1st Lt. Steven Prentice, 20th Fighter Wing deputy SARC. “It wasn’t just to come in here and pet the dog for the sake of petting the dog.”
Through these types of events and outreach, the SAPR office is working to spread knowledge in hopes changing the culture surrounding sexual assault.
“SAPR is becoming more of a socially acceptable thing to talk about and to interact with,” said Prentice. “It doesn’t have as much of a negative connotation as it maybe once did. … When people are more aware of the SAPR services and what the SAPR team can provide, if something unfortunately does happen, anybody who comes in contact with that victim, (or the) victims themselves, will know what resources are available to them. If they know what resources are available to them through the SAPR office, they may be more willing to talk to us.”
For more information about SAPR, contact the office at 803-895-1928.