April is sexual assault prevention month

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Kyle Johnson
  • JBER Public Affairs
JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska --  April is sexual assault prevention month and one of the most effective ways to prevent sexual assault is to intervene.

Bystander intervention is the idea that people who see suspicious activity have a responsibility to act when they feel there is potential for a violent incident.

"When it comes to sexual assault prevention and response, one reality everybody needs to understand is that only two people can prevent a sexual assault," said Darmaly Williams, Sexual Assault Prevention and Response program manager for Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska. "That is, the possible perpetrator, and, if there is a witness, the bystander.

"That is why we place so much responsibility on bystander intervention."

Some people place the responsibility on either the victim, the perpetrator, or both, and tell themselves the situation is not their problem. However, the victim and potential perpetrator are part of the witness' community, so it is their problem. It's everybody's problem because we're all part of the same community, Williams said.

By intervening, one helps create a safer community for everyone, including themselves. The concept is similar to operational security reporting; if everyone's paying attention, then incidents are reduced by sheer force.

JBER's location means many Airmen and Soldiers do not have the support structures they are familiar with. Without their normal support structures - like their families - they rely on their community to support them, Williams said.

"We all depend on each other, whether we admit to it or not," Williams said. "We're not fostering codependency, but we are promoting interdependence."
Servicemembers are taught to be community leaders. By being community members aware of their surroundings, they could spark a full cultural change - not just in sexual assaults, but any kind of violence.

"When we promote that sense of belonging, by telling our neighbor 'Hey, I've got your back.' we can touch on other issues such as suicide prevention, alcohol abuse, drug abuse, and violence in the workplace," Williams said. "We can touch so many other problems by just fostering that sense of belonging, and that's what a bystander does."

One possible misconception about bystander intervention is that a confrontation is necessary. This is not always the case, Williams said.

"There are lot of different avenues you can take for bystander intervention," said Senior Airman Madaline Smarr, an equipment manager for the 673d Logistics Readiness Squadron, currently in victim advocacy training.

"You can try to separate them, or simply ask them what's going on. Some people don't like to be very confrontational, but as long as you're making a step, I feel like that's the most important."

For more information on bystander intervention, or other SAPR-related information, contact the SAPR office at 551-2035, or the Sexual Harassment/Assault Response Program at 384-7272.