Photo By Ryan Carter | Norfolk, Va. (April 6, 2022) - Military Sealift Command personnel walk together...... read more read more
Military Sealift Command (MSC) Sailors and civilians united April 6 to raise awareness and show solidarity in the fight against sexual assault during the annual “Walk a Lap for a Survivor.”
Chief Executive Officer of Fear 2 Freedom Virginia Woodard was guest speaker for the event. Founded in 2011 by Rosemary Trible, the wife of former Senator Paul Trible, the global non-profit helps restore hope and dignity to survivors of sexual assault while empowering students and communities to combat sexual violence in all its forms.
A sexual assault survivor herself, Woodard told the crowd gathered in front of MSC headquarters that while the country has broadened efforts to raise awareness and organizations like Fear 2 Freedom has worked to shine a spotlight on the issue over the years, the battle is far from over.
“When Rosemary founded Fear 2 Freedom over 10 years ago, every two minutes someone in this country was sexually assaulted. That number has changed. It’s now every 68 seconds. Every 68 seconds someone in our country is sexually assault,” she said.
While sharing her own survivor story and her personal journey to turn fear to freedom, Woodard told those in attendance how they could support survivors like her in their own way.
“First of all, believe. Believe what a survivor tells you. It takes a great deal of courage to share what has happened. The second thing you can do is listen. This is not an opportunity ask a lot of questions. This is an opportunity for a survivor to process what has happened to them at their own pace. The other thing is don’t try to fix it, It’s not something that can be fixed. Be a comforting presence.”
Woodard then encouraged everyone not to be a bystander. If they see something wrong, have the courage to take a stand if needed.
“If you see something that doesn’t look right and you can safely intervene, please do so. Sometimes we say, ‘it’s not my business,’ but make it your business to prevent harm. The other thing is please encourage survivors to report, to hold perpetuators of sexual violence accountable for their crimes.”
“Sexual violence will not end until everyone becomes part of the solution,” she continued. “Everyone from every rank from every walk of life. There is so much work to do. Not just during this month, but all the time if we’re going to change that every 68 seconds statistic.”
MSC Commander Rear Adm. Michael Wettlaufer thanked Woodard for sharing her experiences with the command. He reiterated her words to the MSC team, while telling them this issue gravely impacts military readiness and national security.
“If you come across someone who is struggling with something, open your heart and open your ears and find them the support they need,” he said. “We cannot be committed to excellence unless we value everybody, we include everybody and we treat them with the respect and dignity that we all deserve unless we reach out and support them.”
To conclude the event, more than 100 Sailor and civilians joined together to walk two laps around the horseshoe in front of the headquarters.
April is Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month (SAAPM). The theme for this year is “Step Forward. Prevent,” which places emphasis on the critical role everyone plays in preventing sexual assault.
In his Proclamation on National Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month, MSC SAPR Officer Lt. Rob Rogers and MSC SAPR volunteer victim advocate said, “This month, we honor the bravery and leadership of survivors by rededicating ourselves to eliminating sexual violence. It will require care and commitment from each of us to realize an America where everyone is free from the threat and impact of sexual violence.”
To learn more about Fear 2 Freedom visit, https://www.fear2freedom.org.
| Date Taken: | 04.06.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 04.07.2022 13:01 |
| Story ID: | 418043 |
| Location: | NORFOLK, VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 147 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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