Awareness can prevent sexual assaults

  • Published
  • By 2nd Lt. Amber Millerchip
  • Air Education and Training Command Public Affairs
RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE, Texas (AFPN) --  In line with April’s Sexual Assault Awareness Month, Air Force leaders encourage all Airmen to be knowledgeable about sexual assault risks, consequences and prevention.

“Sexual assault in an organization that depends on each individual in life and death situations is simply intolerable,” said Gen. Don Cook, Air Education and Training Command commander. “Our most important obligation to our Air Force people is to give them a safe and secure working, living and training environment. We will continue to do everything we possibly can to prevent such criminal behavior. Have no doubt, you and all Airmen are personally responsible for preventing assaults of any kind.”

Sexual assault includes rape, physical assault, indecent assault and attempt to commit these crimes. According to the National Center for Victims of Crime, a woman somewhere is raped every minute.

Some of these offenses involve force, where one person overpowers the other with a weapon, strength or physically imposing size. Use of force can include coercion, such as using rank or authority.

Women in their late adolescence and early adult years, particularly those drinking alcohol, are most at risk, said Capt. (Dr.) Julie Storey, clinical psychologist in the life skills support center here.

“Many are on their own for the first time in their lives and do not have safety nets such as parents or guardians,” Captain Storey said. “They make poor judgments, and the consequences of those judgments, at that age, are a lot higher.”

Reactions of both victims and perpetrators of sexual assault are also affected by sexual-assault mythology. Most myths blame the victim.

For example, “Women who are careful don’t get raped, so therefore if I had been careful this wouldn’t have happened to me.”

Assailants who believe these myths may think their actions are justified, and a victim who believes them may delay or refuse to report an assault, Captain Storey said.

Believing the myth, “Only bad or provocative girls get attacked,” can result in a false sense of security by women who are sure they do not fall into either category. Anyone can be assaulted, even the elderly. This is particularly true because attackers are often people known and trusted by the victim, Captain Storey said.

According to the crime center, 40 percent of victims know their attackers.

“That sense of invulnerability is a big one,” Captain Storey said. “You do things such as walk away and leave your drink sitting on a table or bar [or] go to a party and say, ‘I’m going to get drunk because everyone else is getting drunk.’ So [they think] nobody’s really accountable for what’s happening.”

According to the Texas Association Against Sexual Assault, 75 percent of perpetrators and 55 percent of victims are under the influence of alcohol at the time of an acquaintance rape.

Alcohol affects the way the brain processes things. It decreases inhibitions and impairs judgment on both the part of the victim and perpetrator, Captain Storey said. That impairment affects the victim’s ability to understand and detect danger. It also affects the perpetrator’s social judgment as to what is appropriate.

Alongside more targeted education on risk factors, young women need to learn the importance of reporting assaults immediately, Captain Storey said.

If attacked, regardless of any associated misbehavior, a victim should immediately report to an emergency room for medical assistance and to begin the investigative process. Early reporting of sexual assaults is an important factor in gathering timely evidence related to the crime, she said.

“Victims may spend a lot of time worrying about other peoples’ opinions or the consequences of revealing their misconduct at the time,” Captain Storey said. “The longer they wait, the less chance of a conviction.”

Air Force bases have programs, procedures and communication channels to report assaults. Victims are provided medical, legal, emotional and spiritual help. Specifically, life-skills center providers are available to provide individual-counseling services to deal with the emotional consequences of assaults.

The providers also encourage victims to seek group counseling from a rape-crisis center. One step of recovery is for victims to realize they are not alone and to diminish the sense of isolation, embarrassment and shame, Captain Storey said. The centers allow victims to talk to other victims about their experiences, begin to change their beliefs and normalize their reaction to the traumatic event.

Besides life-skills and crisis centers, the Victim Witness Assistance Program, a federally mandated program, is available on every Air Force installation through the base legal office. The program assigns each victim a volunteer advocate to navigate the legal process and serve as another part of the victim’s support system.

Prevention starts from within, with smart decision-making, trusting instincts, developing situational awareness and having the confidence to not follow the crowd, said Lt. Col. Cheryl H. Thompson, chief of military justice at the command’s directorate of the staff judge advocate.

“We need to be responsible for ourselves and our friends,” Colonel Thompson said. “We need to take care of and look out for each other.” (Courtesy of AETC News Service)