LACKLAND AIR FORCE BASE, Texas –
This year's Sexual Assault Awareness Month campaign focuses on the ripple effect created when a sexual assault occurs.
Following the Department of Defense theme "Hurts one ... Affects all," sexual assault awareness events are held nationally throughout the month at all military installations.
A teaser campaign designed by the Sexual Assault Prevention Office on Lackland helped generate a lead in to April's events. "Wet paint" signs around base were followed by more signs explaining its meaning in kicking off the campaign.
"We received a lot of phone calls," said Dr. Charlotte Moerbe, sexual assault response coordinator, 502nd Operating Location Alpha SAPO. "Wet paint is something we created to address the indecent assault increase. When you think of wet paint or see a wet paint sign, what do you think? Don't touch."
The Lackland active-duty population is not SAPO's only focus. There is also an increased effort to educate teenagers at Lackland about sexual assault prevention.
SAPO arranged for an educational speaker last year to address Stacey High School students about respecting boundaries and asking consent. SAPO volunteers are also spreading the message to students.
"We're focusing some of our efforts on prevention toward a younger audience because we recognize they have the highest risk," Dr. Moerbe said. "Basic Military Training and technical training school students are our main target because that's when they start building behavior patterns, and that's what we are seeing here."
Dr. Moerbe said it was important that the month's activities heighten awareness and demonstrate that sexual assault exists in the military. The focus is educating the base student populations by defining sexual assault and its effects, risk reduction, prevention and communication.
"It helps build empathy for victims and makes them feel more comfortable coming forward if they know we're talking about it," she said. "Sexual assault is still a taboo subject for some, and an awareness month not only educates people but it lets them know it's OK to talk about it."
Last year 60 sexual assault cases were reported by servicemembers or someone affiliated with the military at Lackland. Since April 2008, 121 prior to military service reports were filed. Dr. Moerbe attributed the PTMS reports to students in BMT and technical schools seeking support for the first time after being exposed to SAPO training and materials.
"Some of the stories and backgrounds people are bringing into the Air Force are amazing," she said. "People are learning about our services. We've hired an in-house counselor who can also see technical school students after hours."
The number of investigations and total sexual assault reports in the Air Force for fiscal year 2009 dropped from the previous year. Investigations for unrestricted reports fell from 387 to 300, the lowest in the last three fiscal years, and total reports from 607 to 546.
In unrestricted re-ports, a servicemember discloses a sexual assault without requesting confidentiality. Any details provided to the SARC, healthcare provider, victim's advocate, command authorities or other people are reportable to law enforcement and may be used to initiate an official investigation process.
The Department of Defense annual report showed an opposite trend when all military branches were combined, reflecting an 11 percent increase in reported sexual assault by military victims.
It also showed two reports per thousand servicemembers, an in-crease from last year.
The report concluded, given that most sexual assaults are not reported, the increase in reporting behavior reflected a greater proportion of victims coming forward, not an increase in crime.
Dr. Moerbe expects required training for a new Air Force initiative to begin in May.
All active-duty military and civilian supervisors must complete bystander initiative training by June 2012.
"It will count toward the annual sexual assault training requirement," she said. "All higher leadership has had the training. It is an interactive curriculum developed by civilian, legal and social science experts. They are already doing similar trainings in the civilian community and having great success."