Wolf Pack SARC tackles sexual assault

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Nichole Piazzo
  • 8th Fighter Wing Sexual Assault Response Coordinator office
KUNSAN AIR BASE, Republic of Korea --  April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month. As this month and your year at the Wolf Pack passes here are some statistics to be aware of. An American is sexually assaulted every two and a half minutes. In the Air Force, one in three women and one in eight men are sexual assault victims at some point in their life. More importantly, at least two thirds of sexual assaults are committed by someone who is known to the victim. The majority of victims here at Kunsan have been females between the ages of 18 - 24 and in the rank of E-4 and below.

The Wolf Pack sexual assault response coordinator office has planned many activities throughout the month of April to get the message out. SARC members along with fellow victim advocates will be out in the base lounges, The Loring Club, the Community Activities Center as well as the International Cultural Ville stamping hands with "Got Consent?" every Friday and Saturday. This is a reminder to always get consent regardless of the situation. On the national SAAM day of action, April 20th, there will be two showings of Searching for Angela Shelton and a question and answer session with the SARC regarding the film at 8 a.m. and 3 p.m.

April is also host to Alcohol Awareness Month. The Kunsan SARC office and the Alcohol Drug Abuse Prevention and Treatment office have teamed up to raise awareness of the correlation between sexual assault and alcohol and the significant risk they pose together.

Understanding and avoiding risk can help to reduce the statistics stated at the beginning of the article. Alcohol is the biggest risk. Avoiding or limiting your alcohol use greatly decreases your chance of being a sexual assault victim. Being a good wingman and looking out for each other are great ways to greatly reduce your risk of sexual assault. Communication is also key. Remember to clearly communicate your desires and get consent every time.

The SARC and ADAPT will have a booth at the Base Exchange, April 29th. Wolf Pack members will have a chance to pick up an application to be a victim advocate and to get some free SARC stuff.

Remember, regardless of risk factors, sexual assault or rape is never the victims fault. If you become a victim of sexual assault, you have options for reporting.

Restricted reporting occurs when you can come to the SARC office or a victim advocate and report what happened to you. Victims can get the support they need whether it is medical or mental without anyone in their chain of command knowing about the incident.

Unrestricted reporting is when you report through your chain of command, the SARC office, a victim advocate, security forces, or the office of special investigation. Victims get the support they need and there will be an investigation initiated.

An independent report is when you tell a friend or co-worker and they tell someone in your chain of command. This type of report is automatically unrestricted.

For more information regarding sexual assault and the sexual assault coordinator program visit. www.sapr.mil, www.myduty.mil, or the SARC page on the Kunsan SharePoint page. The Kunsan SARC office is located in the fitness center on the second floor within the health and wellness office. The 24 hour SARC hotline is 782-7272.