April brings Sexual Assault Awareness Month to Ramstein

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Alexandria Mosness
  • Ramstein Public Affairs
RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany --  From the highest to the lowest ranking Airmen, from civilians to service members, all will have the opportunity to stress prevention, raise awareness and educate others during Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

Since 2001, April has been designated as Sexual Assault Awareness Month, and Ramstein is no stranger to raising awareness during the month.

Ramstein kicked off SAAM with a banner signing April 1. Base leadership signed a banner, stating "pledge to end sexual assault," as a commitment to end sexual violence.

While the Air Force core values are completely opposite from sexual assault, it still happens and Air Force leadership is brainstorming solutions to stop it.

"Sexual assault is absolutely inconsistent with our core values and it has no place in our Air Force; in a deployed context, at home or anywhere in between," Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley said at a sexual assault prevention summit in December. "Many offenders were known by their victims and most involved crimes committed by other servicemembers. This is blue-on-blue violence, and we cannot accept it."

Beginning in 2005, the Air Force commenced the Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Program and assigned full-time sexual assault response coordinators at all main operating installations.

While SARCs report directly to vice wing commanders and offer assistance throughout the Air Force, they also support major deployment sites.

There are also more than 1,500 volunteer victim advocates who assist the SARCs to ensure sexual assault victims are given the support and care they need.

There are some preventative steps to take to avoid out of a sexual assault situations.

"Be aware of your surroundings and who you associate with," said Capt. Vanessa Vanden Bout, 435th Air Base Wing SARC. "Most assaults are committed by someone the victim knows. While 'stranger' assaults happen, they are rarer than acquaintance rape. In the KMC (Kaiserslautern Military Community), about 90 percent of all assaults are committed by someone the victim knew."

The SARC has some helpful information to remember if put into an uncomfortable situation.

"If someone attempts to touch you in a way you don't like, tell the person to stop and move away from the person as quickly as possible," said Captain Vanden Bout. "Remember to be assertive. Be clear in what your intentions are. If someone is trying to make you do something you do not wish to do, use a confident voice and body posture, matching your body language to your words and tell the person to stop. Then, leave and go somewhere to get help."

If someone is sexually assaulted, they should call the SARC immediately.

"In the event you are assaulted, get away from the attacker and seek medical attention right away," added the captain Vanden Bout. "Contact your SARC. Don't shower, change your clothes, go to the bathroom or brush your teeth. You also should not eat or drink before you have been seen by a doctor. Also, consider seeking counseling. Sexual assault is a violent, disturbing event -- it's normal to need help adjusting after something like that happens to you."

One of the biggest dilemmas facing the Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Program is reporting.

Victims have two options for reporting sexual assault, restricted and unrestricted.

Active-duty members can report the assault as restricted, which allows the victim to disclose the information about the assault to SARCs and victim advocates confidentially. With restricted reporting, it does not trigger an official investigation.

The other option for victims is unrestricted reporting. While restricted does not start an official investigation, unrestricted opens up this process. If reported through normal reporting channels, such as the victim's chain of command, law enforcement and the Air Force Office of Special Investigation, an investigation will have to begin. 

For more information contact the SARC office at DSN 480-5597 or commercial 06371-47-5597, or the 24-hour number at DSN 480-7272 or commercial 06371-47-7272.

The KMC offers several events throughout the month to help raise awareness, including the joint Air Force and Army sponsored SAAM five-kilometer run and one-kilometer walk. This event, started last year, is scheduled to start at 3 p.m. April 17 at the Ramstein Southside Gym.

Along with the awareness run, there are many other activities planned which include:

April 15 - Info at the Gates
April 17 - 5K Run/Walk
April 22 - Booth at HAWC Health Fair for Wellness Day
April 26 - Shine the Light Walk (Will begin at Vogelweh Youth Center in the evening)
April 27-28 - "Sex Signals" play (Mandatory for dorm residents. NOTE: WILL count toward annual training.)