Deployed service members observe Sexual Assault Awareness Month

  • Published
  • By Army Sgt. Lacey Hunt
  • 102nd Mobile Public Affairs Detachment
KANDAHAR AIRFIELD, Afghanistan (AFNS) --  Sexual Assault Awareness Month is observed every April and this year at Kandahar Airfield, in celebration of this month, leaders here collaborated on events to promote awareness including a free self-defense class that offered up to 12 sessions.
 
"Having knowledge of the type of assaults that have occurred, I wanted to offer self-defense classes and provide individuals with the opportunity to learn techniques that could assist them in disengaging and gaining safe separation from an aggressor," said Capt. Brandi Rountree, the 451st Air Expeditionary Wing Sexual Assault Response Coordinator. The classes were conducted at Freedom Gym and each class built upon the previous session.

"Although these moves are a lot like combatives, these specific moves are focusing on self-defense with the main objective being to gain safe separation," said Tech. Sgt. Eric Bergery, the senior instructor for the course.

April allows the opportunity to build on sexual assault awareness and the efforts of the Defense Department officials to combat a serious problem that degrades readiness and morale. The SAAM program was designed to raise awareness and promote the prevention of sexual violence using special events to highlight prevention.

"April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, and this provides the opportunity for us to show our commitment to eliminating sexual assault, show our support to sexual assault victims, and educate the base populace on prevention and response efforts," Rountree said. "We must work hard to prevent the crime, but when it does occur, we need to be there for the victims."

"Someone being taken advantage of against their will is something I do not take lightly," Bergery said. "I would like to give these females the ability and confidence that they can defend themselves and break contact."

The military services received a total of 3,192 reports of sexual assault during fiscal 2011. This represents a one percent increase since fiscal 2010, when there were 3,158 reports of sexual assault. The DOD Annual report for fiscal 2012 has not been released as of yet.