Sexual Assault Awareness Month kicks off

  • Published
  • By Senior Airmen Kara McGrath
  • 56th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. --  April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month and was kicked off Monday with the start of the Walk-a-Mile-in-Their-Shoes contest and the Luke Clothesline Project. The Department of Defense 2008 Sexual Assault Awareness Month theme is Ask, Act and Intervene! 

The walk is to symbolize the struggle of walking through life after experiencing sexual violence and the clothesline project is a demonstration of community support in the effort to reduce violence. 

Joice Jones, 56th Fighter Wing Sexual Assault Response coordinator, and Evelyn Perez, SARC assistant, signed up and issued pedometers to Airmen at the Ray V. Hensman dining facility to participate in the sexual assault prevention and response walk-a-mile contest. 

"For each step taken, victims, survivors and families that have been affected by sexual violence are recognized," said Ms. Perez. "Along with providing counseling for victims of sexual assault, the SARC office is committed to providing high quality education to the surrounding community. The walk is one way to do this." 

Sexual Assault Awareness Month is internationally known to recognize sexual violence against men and women. "SAPRO has designed this month to encourage prevention efforts to be a voice to the awareness and prevent violence," Mrs. Jones said. 

The Walk-a-Mile-in-Their-Shoes contest will be ongoing through April. Participants will keep track of their daily steps with weekly totals that can be submitted to the SAPRO on Mondays by calling (623) 856-4878 or e-mailing totals to joice.jones@luke.af.mil or evelyn.perez@luke.af.mil. 

Prizes will be presented weekly to the female and male with the highest step totals. The squadron with the most accumulated steps will be presented with the SAPRO "Walk-a-Mile-in-Their-Shoes" traveling trophy. 

The Luke SARC office is also offering the "Luke Clothesline Project." This project consists of displaying decorated cutout T-shirts, each with words of advice or awareness and prevention messages for victims or those who've been affected by sexual violence, written by those who wish to participate. The decorated shirts will be displayed together on the first floor of Bldg. 1150 and in the dining facility. T-shirts are available at the SARC office, Bldg. 1150, Room 1052. 

For more information, call the SARC office at (623) 856-4878.