Sexual Assault Awareness Month

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. Sexual assaults affected more than 3,200 Airmen across the service in 2013, with 95 reported cases in United States Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa alone. In most sexual assault and sexual harassment cases, victims and perpetrators were not the only people impacted by the crime. Families, friends, coworkers and units also bore the burden, and mission accomplishment was impacted. Sexual assault and sexual harassment are not issues that stop if ignored. Every Airman -- officer, enlisted, civilian, family member -- is required to speak up and speak out against the behaviors and actions that lead to these crimes, and foster a climate where trust and respect is the norm. For more information, call the Ramstein Sexual Assault Response Coordinator at DSN 314-480-7272 or +49 (0) 6371-47-7272, or visit the Air Force Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Program web site at http://www.afpc.af.mil/library/sapr/. (U.S. Air Force graphic/Senior Airman Jose L. Leon)