Photo By Bruce Cummins | PENSACOLA, Fla. -- Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola-area military leadership signed...... read more read more
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By Ens. Cristine Fransesconi, Naval Air Station Pensacola Public Affairs
PENSACOLA, Fla. – Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola-area commanding officers signed a joint proclamation April 7 reaffirming the base and tenant command’s commitment to preventing sexual assault and providing resources for survivors of sexual assault during Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month (SAAPM).
NAS Pensacola Commanding Officer Capt. Terrence Shashaty, along with other NAS Pensacola-area leadership, signed the proclamation, conveying their intent on reinforcing the Department of Defense’s (DoD) focus on creating an appropriate culture to eliminate sexual assault and requiring a personal commitment from all service members and civilian employees.
“Sexual assault has no place in our military,” Shashaty said. “I’m committed to ensuring that each and every service member and employee here, regardless of rank or position, joins me in eliminating sexual assault from our organization.”
The DoD motto for the 19th annual observance of SAAPM is ‘Step Forward. Prevent. Report. Advocate.’ Shashaty said this call to action is designed to construct positive changes surrounding the negative stigma of sexual assault within the military, and that NAS Pensacola is continually educating Sailors on when and how to intervene if witnessing a sexual assault as well as encouraging individuals to use appropriate reporting methods.
The proclamation signing came on the heels of Shashaty signing the Gulf Coast Sexual Assault Program (GCSAP) Joint Military/Civilian Sexual Assault and Prevention Month Proclamation 2023, a similar document reaffirming NAS Pensacola’s joint efforts in eliminating sexual assault with Pensacola-area leadership including Florida State Attorney Ginger Madden; University of West Florida President Martha Saunders; Escambia County Chief Deputy Chip Simmons; Pensacola Police Department Chief of Police Eric Randall; Regional Operations Center Florida Department of Law Enforcement Agent in Charge Chris Williams; and GCSAP Executive Director Lori Allen.
Shashaty added that NAS Pensacola’s Fleet and Family Support Center’s (FFSC) Sexual Assault Response Coordinators (SARC) are engaged in training command representatives as Sexual Assault Prevention and Response (SAPR) Victim Advocates. SARCs serve as the primary point of contact for coordinating victim care services while Victim Advocates are volunteers with specific training in properly assisting victims of sexual assault.
Active-duty Victim Advocates, individuals who have undergone the certification process through the National Organization of Victim Advocates (NOVA), are ready to immediately respond and Shashaty said that victims of sexual assault can report to either a SARC or Victim Advocate whether a restricted or unrestricted report is ultimately filed.
“The phenomenal staff of qualified Sexual Assault Prevention and Response (SAPR) VAs at NAS Pensacola are constantly providing trainings within the command, standing by, and working with survivors in order to promote positive change regarding sexual assault,” Shashaty said. “We strive to ensure that survivors know they are not alone, and resources are available.”
Anyone in immediate danger should call 911. To report a sexual assault, call the toll-free DoD Safe Helpline at (877) 995-5247 or Naval Air Station Pensacola 24/7 SAPR Duty Victim Advocate at 850-449-9231 or Naval Air Station Pensacola Civilian Victim Advocate at 850-293-4562 or the NAS Pensacola Sexual Assault Response Coordinator at 850-554-5606.
For more information on the DoD Safe Helpline, visit https://www.safehelpline.org/.
For more information on SAAPM, go to www.navy.mil/saapm.
| Date Taken: | 04.07.2023 |
| Date Posted: | 04.12.2023 10:51 |
| Story ID: | 442480 |
| Location: | PENSACOLA, FLORIDA, US |
| Web Views: | 263 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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