Sexual assault prevention is a year-round mission Published April 26, 2017 By Eric White 910th Airlift Wing Public Affairs YOUNGSTOWN AIR RESERVE STATION, Ohio -- This April, the Department of Defense (DoD) observed its 13th annual Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month (SAAPM). The theme for this year’s campaign is “Protecting Our People Protects Our Mission.” Although having April as a designated SAAPM month helps raise awareness and educate Airmen on their role in preventing sexual assault, the task is year-round. To promote SAAPM, U.S. Secretary of Defense James Mattis issued a memorandum to all DoD agencies. “All Service members, regardless of rank or job, must uphold their Military Service’s values and standards of conduct,” said Mattis. “Stopping sexual assault begins with respecting one another in all aspects of our interactions, including—as we have recently seen—communications via social media.” The National Sexual Violence Resource Center reports that one in five women and one in six men are sexually assaulted, and the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network reports that an American is sexually assaulted every 98 seconds, illustrating the need to increased awareness and prevention efforts. Shelly Trimble, the 910th Airlift Wing’s Sexual Assault Response Coordinator (SARC), spearheaded the 910th’s implementation of SAAPM. Trimble set up an awareness table in the base Community Activities Center with helpful resources and promotional items that help keep prevention as a primary focus and list important phone numbers and organizations that can assist with sexual assault awareness, prevention and response. “Sexual assault impacts every individual in the Air Force and impacts mission readiness,” said Trimble. “It is important for all military and civilian Airmen to look out for each other and be good wingmen. If they see something, say something.” Trimble has developed partnerships with community organizations that can provide expanded care and resources to Airmen affected by sexual assault. These partnerships include the Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) program at Mercy Health Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley Sexual Assault Response Team (SART). Trimble plans to set up an awareness table at the UV Splash 5K race in Canfield, Ohio, on May 5, benefitting these organizations. “Our community has excellent resources available to our Airmen,” said Trimble, “and events like the 5K are helpful for networking and growing these partnerships.” Local partnerships help bolster existing Air Force efforts for prevention and awareness. The Air Force has more than 150 SARCs, 99 full-time Sexual Assault Prevention and Response (SAPR) victim advocates, 45 special victims’ counselors and nine special victims’ unit senior trial counsels. The DoD Safe Helpline is also available for worldwide, live, confidential support via their website at www.dodsafehelpline.org or via phone at 1-877-995-5247. “Our greatest asset at the 910th is our people,” said Trimble. “SAAPM reminds us that sexual assault prevention and being a good wingman is an action we do every day, 24/7, 365.”