Airmen, Soldiers raise sexual assault awareness

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Leslie Keopka
  • 86th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany --  Airmen and Soldiers from Ramstein Air Base and U.S. Army Garrison Rheinland-Pfalz partnered to kick off the Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month April 1.

The kickoff event was held in the Kaiserslautern Military Community Center here and included several information booths with speakers and key leaders on hand for discussion.

"It is the Step Up, Step In concept," said Carmen Schott, Ramstein Sexual Assault and Response Coordinator.  "We want people to be the eyes and ears of the SAPR program within units. Numbers show the biggest factor is the continuum of harm; there is a very thin line between sexual harassment and sexual assault. In environments where sexual harassment flourishes, there is a higher chance of sexual assaults."

Spreading knowledge from the youngest Airmen to the highest ranking leaders is a step in the right direction for prevention, Schott added.

"Every Airman has a role to play in the prevention of sexual assault," said Chief Master Sgt. Joanne Bass, 86th Operations Group superintendent. "The first step in prevention is education and awareness. The second step, the most critical step, is to have the courage to intervene when you see something that isn't right."

There will be an information booth provided by the SARC and Sexual Harassment-Assault Response and Prevention offices on April 10 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., at the KMCC food court. There will also be a 5K run April 25, starting at 8 a.m. at the Ramstein Southside Fitness Center. This event is open to all Common Access Card holders.

Throughout the month, SARC office staff members and victim advocates in the Kaiserslautern Military Community area will provide mandatory annual training to Air Force units.

For routine questions or information, call the SARC administration line, 480-5597 or visit Bldg. 2101. For the crisis hotline, call DSN 480-SARC (7272) or commercial 06371-47-7272; if there is no answer, the call will be forwarded to the Command Post for further assistance.

Safe Helpline is another resource available 24/7, to all active duty, reservist and National Guard members and can be accessed at 877-995-5247.