Eielson encourages bystander intervention to prevent assault

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Yash Rojas
  • 354th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska --  Eielson Air Force Base promotes awareness about the threat sexual assault poses to Airmen and the mission during Sexual Assault Awareness Month.

Eielson's Sexual Assault Prevention and Response program hosted a dodge ball tournament April 1st as a kick off to reinforce how Airmen should confront problems rather than dodge them. The Sexual Assault Response Coordinator and staff also highlighted changes that were made in the prevention training program last year.

According to 1st Lt. Ashleigh Aanerud, 354 Fighter Wing SARC, the new Air Force Bystander Intervention Training treats people not as potential victims or assailants, but as potential bystanders who are integral to prevention. In the new training everyone has become a part of the solution.

The United States Air Force SAPR program helps put a stop to sexual assault through a balance of focused education, compassionate advocacy, and accountability to promote respect and dignity throughout the Air Force. Sexual assault prevention and response requires everyone to act to help combat sexual assault, one of America's most underreported crimes.

Hosting events like the dodge ball tournament gives individuals an opportunity to meet their support staff, who are available no matter how severe problems may seem, said Lieutenant Aanerud. Observances like Sexual Assault Awareness Month help keep everyone informed.

"The SARC and fellow staff hope they are never needed but we want to make sure everyone knows we are here," said Daniel Jones, 354th Fighter Wing SARC assistant. "We want people to feel like they can come to our door because we are more than willing to answer all their questions."

The Air Force Bystander Intervention Training gives individuals a setting where they can learn and understand how important they are to reducing sexual assault. Lieutenant Aanerud and Mr. Jones said individuals respond well to the newly revamped training where bystanders are empowered as part of the solution rather than the old training which focused on the assailant and victim.

One of the most important things to take from the training is to remember to ask, act, and intervene, said Mr. Jones. The training emphasizes how everyone can use their better judgment to assess a situation, make a responsible decision, and save their wingman from making a big mistake.

In a recent Letter to Airmen, Secretary of the Air Force Michael Donley, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz, and Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force Chief Master Sgt. James Roy said, "Every Airman has the moral obligation and professional duty to intervene appropriately and prevent an assault, even when it means taking difficult or unpopular actions. The Air Force Bystander Intervention training provides you tools and skills to meet those responsibilities--to intervene in situations where fellow wingmen seem vulnerable and to encourage victims to seek help."

Sexual assault impairs the Air Force mission in numerous ways. The effects and symptoms can often affect job performance of the most resilient Airmen. To evaluate the impact, Air Force leadership contracted Gallup, Inc., to conduct an anonymous survey about sexual assault in the Air Force over a 12-month period. The survey found 2,143 (3.4 percent of) women and 1,355 (0.5 percent of) men were sexually assaulted, with the majority of female victims reporting that their assailant was a fellow Airman.

"We teach the bystander intervention training to everyone on base--civilian and military," said Lieutenant Aanerud. "This helps create a lot more people dedicated to helping each other."

For the Air Force, the ultimate goal remains to eliminate sexual assault altogether and the effects it has on military culture. Airmen can improve our military culture by embracing the core values and challenging themselves to living a more empowered life as part of the solution. For more information or to speak with the SARC, call 377-7272.