WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio — April kicks off annual Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month.

Anyone can be a victim of sexual assault and SAAPM is an opportunity to reinforce to the Wright-Patt community that the Sexual Assault Prevention and Response office is available to provide victim advocacy support systems and resources.

“The Department of Defense theme this year is STEP FORWARD. Prevent. Report. Advocate,” said Gilbert Harvey, Wright-Patterson AFB lead sexual assault response coordinator. “Wright-Patt is taking the DoD theme and providing SAPR connections. We are connecting with people where they go, so you’ll see us in the dining facilities, dorms, in the Area B Resiliency Office, and other areas across base.”

These smaller engagements offer a more personalized approach to SAPR education, allowing staff to connect directly with individuals in a way that larger presentations simply cannot. They will visit high-traffic areas across the base distributing program information, cookies and goodie bags, all in an effort to raise awareness and ensure that no individual suffers the trauma of sexual assault alone.

“Our job is to advocate for the victim and make sure that they have all the advocacy resources they need,” said Harvey. “We make sure that people are provided awareness of sexual assault and sexual harassment with prevention and intervention..”

Making the right connections is why the Integrated Resiliency Office and the Department of Defense’s No Wrong Door policies are so critical. The Resiliency Center, located in building 219 on Area A, is a centralized hub of support services to help sustain a resilient community that fosters mental, physical, social and spiritual fitness, according to their website. The key to its success is the ability to provide a warm handoff for continued support.

“We don’t have to send individuals to a different building to meet with many of the additional support services,” said Harvey. “We introduce you to the support agency needed if within the Resiliency Center. We don’t say, ‘Well, here’s the building and here’s a phone number – see you later.’ We don’t stop until we know the victim has a resource to help them for their situation.”

The SAPR staff’s primary job is victim advocacy.

“Our job is to make sure that the victim receives advocacy resources to start the healing process,” Harvey emphasized. “Anybody can walk in the door and we’re going to help you, no matter what. We’re going to provide you off-base resources if we have to. We have connections with many of the community agencies.”

Events highlighting SAAPM throughout April including the SAPR Connect visits, Denim Day on April 30, SAPR Serves days at the DFAC, and the entire Wright-Patt community is encouraged to participate in Teal Tuesdays.

The SAPR hotline can be reached 24 hours a day by phone at 937-257-7272 or in-person during duty hours at their office in the Resiliency Center located at 5030 Pearson Road, building 219, Room 230 on Area A. Learn more about Wright-Patterson SAPR services at www.wpafb.af.mil/Units/SAPR/