Sexual Assault Awareness Month

  • Published
  • By Cindy Ybanez
  • Sexual Assault Response Coordinator
April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month.  This year’s theme is “Protecting Airmen Protects the Mission.”


The Air Force’s Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Program’s goal is to eliminate sexual assault from the Air Force. Our number one mission is to execute a proactive and comprehensive sexual assault prevention program.

The SAPR team here will join forces with Team Eglin this month to make “Eliminating Sexual Assault in the Air Force” our number one mission.

If a fellow Airman is out or unable to concentrate on the job because he or she has been assaulted, an important team member may be lost.  If there are any medical or psychological injuries, the person may be off-duty for quite a while.  Losing fellow Airmen degrades mission readiness.

Sexual assault prevention training is critical at every level. We want to ensure each leader has the information needed to provide comprehensive and relevant training.

We offer non-confidential and confidential reporting through unrestricted and restricted reporting options.

We offer a multitude of services to military members and their dependents over the age of 18, and to civilians employed on Eglin.

The SAPR team, along with volunteer victim advocates, planned some fun, informative and interactive events this month.

The month kicks off with the 4th Annual SAAM Color Me Aware Fun Run April 6 at the CE Pavilion.  Showtime is 1 p.m. The event is free for all personnel with base access.  Participants are encouraged to wear a plain white t-shirt to experience the full effect.

A Spin to Win Wheel contest is April 4 and 18 at the Breeze Dining Facility from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. both days.  Stop by, spin the wheel, answer the question and win. 

The SAPR team and VVAs will visit units at random April 12 from 9 a.m. to noon.  They will introduce themselves and hand out giveaways.

A “Be Nice to the Dorm Residents” initiative is April 26 at 2 p.m.  All dorm residents will receive something special in their day rooms, in appreciation of their efforts to help prevent sexual assault.

The Sexual Assault Response Coordinator’s office is located at 605 Inverness Road, Bldg. 605, and is open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.  The phone number is 882-2122.  The office is open to anyone with base access needing services, or for anyone to accompany a person needing services.  To report a sexual assault, call the hot line at 882-7272 24 hours a day, seven days a week, or (850) 240-3219.

Please come out and join the fun in April and remember - preventing sexual assault is year around, not just in April.