Hurts one, affects all: Preventing sexual assault is everyone's duty Published April 2, 2012 188th Fighter Wing Public Affairs FORT SMITH, Ark. -- Nationally, Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM) occurs in April and commits to raising awareness and promoting the prevention of sexual violence through use of special events and public education. SAAM provides an annual opportunity to highlight Department of Defense (DoD) and service policies addressing sexual assault prevention and response. DoD policies address sexual assault prevention and seek to establish a climate of confidence in which education and training create an environment in which sexual assault and the attitudes that promote it are not tolerated; victims of sexual assault receive the care and support that they need; and, offenders are held accountable for their actions. Everyone has a role in stopping sexual assault. The "Hurts One. Affects All" campaign focuses on the effects sexual assault has on the military's mission readiness. As is readily understood throughout the military, mission readiness defines a unit's ability to deploy quickly and efficiently. A sexual assault can reverberate throughout a unit and beyond, degrading readiness by harming the life of the victim, and the military's ability to work effectively as a team. This theme provides sexual assault prevention coordinators (SARCs) the opportunity to speak with commanders and senior enlisted leaders about maintaining mission readiness and preventing this crime. "Hurts one. Affects all" not only conveys that sexual assault affects the victim, it affects bystanders. Preserving mission readiness can also serve as motivation for acts of bystander intervention. Victim support is a key component of the DoD's sexual assault prevention and response policy. As part of victim care, a DoD Safe Helpline was launched as a crisis support service for adult service members of the DoD community who are victims of sexual assault. Available 24/7 worldwide, users can "click, call or text" for anonymous and confidential support. Underreporting poses a serious challenge to military readiness as the potential costs and consequences of sexual assault are extremely high. The first goal of Safe Helpline as well as the 188th's Sexual Assault Prevention Program is to provide additional channels for adult service members of the DoD community to seek one-on-one sexual assault assistance and crisis support securely and anonymously. The second goal is to increase victim reporting. Research indicates when sexual assault victims receive care, system confidence builds, which increases the likelihood victims will report to law enforcement. Logging on to www.SafeHelpline.org allows users to receive live, one-on-one confidential help with a trained professional through a secure instant-messaging format. The website also provides vital information about recovering from and reporting sexual assault. Calling the telephone hotline 877-995-5247 allows users to speak with trained Safe Helpline staff for personalized advice and support. Safe Helpline staff can also transfer callers to installation-based sexual assault response coordinators (SARCs)/ on-call SAPR victim advocates (VAs), civilian rape crisis centers or the Suicide Prevention Lifeline. The 188th Fighter Wing's sexual assault prevention coordinator is Maj. Matt Holguin. The 188th also has assigned three victim advocates: Lt. Col. John Weisenfels, Capt. Lance Griffith and Tech Sgt. Michelle Malone. Their contact information can be found below. You can also text your location to 55-247 in the U.S. and 202-470-5546 outside the U.S. This allows users to receive automated contact information for the SARC at their installation or base. The services provided by Safe Helpline are available to adult active duty, Reserve and National Guard members consistent with DoD SAPR policy. Safe Helpline adheres to state mandatory reporting laws concerning persons under the age of 18 and the elderly. Safe Helpline staff have been trained on the unique needs of those living and working in the DoD community and are knowledgeable on military and civilian resources worldwide. 188th sexual assault prevention coordinator Maj. Matt Holguin: 479-573-5221 188th victim advocates Lt. Col. John Weisenfels: 479-573-5312 Capt. Lance Griffith: 479-573-5126 Tech Sgt. Michelle Malone: 479-573-5302
Hurts one, affects all: Preventing sexual assault is everyone's duty Published April 2, 2012 188th Fighter Wing Public Affairs FORT SMITH, Ark. -- Nationally, Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM) occurs in April and commits to raising awareness and promoting the prevention of sexual violence through use of special events and public education. SAAM provides an annual opportunity to highlight Department of Defense (DoD) and service policies addressing sexual assault prevention and response. DoD policies address sexual assault prevention and seek to establish a climate of confidence in which education and training create an environment in which sexual assault and the attitudes that promote it are not tolerated; victims of sexual assault receive the care and support that they need; and, offenders are held accountable for their actions. Everyone has a role in stopping sexual assault. The "Hurts One. Affects All" campaign focuses on the effects sexual assault has on the military's mission readiness. As is readily understood throughout the military, mission readiness defines a unit's ability to deploy quickly and efficiently. A sexual assault can reverberate throughout a unit and beyond, degrading readiness by harming the life of the victim, and the military's ability to work effectively as a team. This theme provides sexual assault prevention coordinators (SARCs) the opportunity to speak with commanders and senior enlisted leaders about maintaining mission readiness and preventing this crime. "Hurts one. Affects all" not only conveys that sexual assault affects the victim, it affects bystanders. Preserving mission readiness can also serve as motivation for acts of bystander intervention. Victim support is a key component of the DoD's sexual assault prevention and response policy. As part of victim care, a DoD Safe Helpline was launched as a crisis support service for adult service members of the DoD community who are victims of sexual assault. Available 24/7 worldwide, users can "click, call or text" for anonymous and confidential support. Underreporting poses a serious challenge to military readiness as the potential costs and consequences of sexual assault are extremely high. The first goal of Safe Helpline as well as the 188th's Sexual Assault Prevention Program is to provide additional channels for adult service members of the DoD community to seek one-on-one sexual assault assistance and crisis support securely and anonymously. The second goal is to increase victim reporting. Research indicates when sexual assault victims receive care, system confidence builds, which increases the likelihood victims will report to law enforcement. Logging on to www.SafeHelpline.org allows users to receive live, one-on-one confidential help with a trained professional through a secure instant-messaging format. The website also provides vital information about recovering from and reporting sexual assault. Calling the telephone hotline 877-995-5247 allows users to speak with trained Safe Helpline staff for personalized advice and support. Safe Helpline staff can also transfer callers to installation-based sexual assault response coordinators (SARCs)/ on-call SAPR victim advocates (VAs), civilian rape crisis centers or the Suicide Prevention Lifeline. The 188th Fighter Wing's sexual assault prevention coordinator is Maj. Matt Holguin. The 188th also has assigned three victim advocates: Lt. Col. John Weisenfels, Capt. Lance Griffith and Tech Sgt. Michelle Malone. Their contact information can be found below. You can also text your location to 55-247 in the U.S. and 202-470-5546 outside the U.S. This allows users to receive automated contact information for the SARC at their installation or base. The services provided by Safe Helpline are available to adult active duty, Reserve and National Guard members consistent with DoD SAPR policy. Safe Helpline adheres to state mandatory reporting laws concerning persons under the age of 18 and the elderly. Safe Helpline staff have been trained on the unique needs of those living and working in the DoD community and are knowledgeable on military and civilian resources worldwide. 188th sexual assault prevention coordinator Maj. Matt Holguin: 479-573-5221 188th victim advocates Lt. Col. John Weisenfels: 479-573-5312 Capt. Lance Griffith: 479-573-5126 Tech Sgt. Michelle Malone: 479-573-5302