Awareness vital in preventing sexual assault

  • Published
  • By Capt. Suzanne Ovel
  • 20th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. (AFPN) --  “They beat you; they raped you; they left you for dead,” reads one. 

Another simply states, “It still hurts.” 

Creating T-shirt designs like these is meant to be therapeutic for sexual assault victims, which is the purpose of The Clothesline Project. Displaying the shirts is meant to bring awareness to the general public of the issue of sexual assault. 

This display is just one of several events here this month as part of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, said Cynthia Evans, Shaw’s Sexual Assault Response and Prevention coordinator. 

Although one in six women and one in 33 men will be sexually assaulted in their lifetime, only 20 percent nationally report such crimes, Mrs. Evans said. She and others hope not only to spread awareness about these crimes, but also to prevent them from ever occurring. 

“Take responsibility for your behavior, and help the next person out to prevent being in a vulnerable situation,” Mrs. Evans said. 

Be safe. Never leave an alcoholic drink unattended is one way to prevent assaults. Not overindulging is another. Perpetrators may attempt to take advantage of impaired thinking that accompanies intoxication.

“Alcohol is the No. 1 weapon of choice,” Mrs. Evans said.

Isolation is another concern. There’s truth to the old adage, "there is safety in numbers," Mrs. Evans said.

“If you’ve got a friend and that friend is intoxicated, don’t let that person be isolated. If you go out together, you go home together,” she said.

Another weapon is trust; 88 percent of all rapes are committed by acquaintances. 

“Right now they hide behind normal acceptable behaviors,” Mrs. Evans said.
She encourages Airmen to take care of each other. 

If the worst occurs, Mrs. Evans works with victims to provide them with medical and emotional assistance.

Restricted reporting, the option to receive medical treatment and counseling only without triggering an official investigative process, can only be observed if the victim contacts the SARC office first. Reporting sexual assault to other military members obligates them to officially report and investigate the crime. 

While the base SARC staff works primarily with military members, they also work with family member victims and civilian employees to find them help with a counterpart. 

If a victim decides to press charges, medical evidence is crucial. Sexual assault victims should receive medical attention within 72 hours, and should not bathe, shower or change clothes beforehand. 

Mrs. Evans keeps a sample forensics kit in her office to explain the medical process to victims. It's one of many ways she tries to make sexual assault victims more comfortable in accepting assistance. 

Another key concern is preventing the long-lasting emotional trauma which often accompanies sexual assault and involves self-blame and fear for personal safety.
 
“Sexual assault survivors experience a tremendous amount of fear, shame, stigma, loss of trust and self-blame,” Mrs. Evans said. “This type of fear sticks with victims a long time.” 

As one who has worked with numerous victims, Mrs. Evans wants fewer people to experience this fear. She wants people to actively work to prevent future assaults. And before next year’s Sexual Assault Awareness Month, she wants fewer people to have a reason to design T-shirts to declare their pain.