#SAAM: No Tolerance for Sexual Assault in Bahrain

MANAMA, Bahrain (NNS) -- U.S. Naval Support Activity (NSA) Bahrain recognized Sexual Assault Awareness Month with an anti-violence march and ceremony to help raise awareness, April 12.

The NSA Bahrain Fleet and Family Support Center sponsored the day in support of the Department of the Navy initiative to stop sexual violence and encourage prevention before the assault ever happens.

"Sexual assault is one of the worst crimes ever," said NSA Bahrain Commanding Officer Capt. Colin Walsh. "We need to spread the word that it will not be tolerated and send a message to not let it happen."

If someone is the victim of sexual assault, they may contact Sexual Assault Prevention Response (SAPR) advocates who help victims understand and sort through their feelings and assist with any medical, investigative and legal intricacies.

"Everybody in the Navy, especially the junior Sailors, needs to know that the command will support them," said Chief Logistics Specialist Carlos Varquez. "I'm here to support Sexual Assault Awareness Month and try to make everybody aware of it because statistics show that these events help [increase awareness]."

'One assault is one too many' and other slogans were chanted as the participants walked across the facility hoisting colorful signs.

"I'm helping out with the activity to let people know 'it's a crime, don't do it,'" said NSA Bahrain Command SAPR Representative, Chief Hospital Corpsman Jerry Juan. "Hopefully this event will result in more awareness and will help prevent any assault or any individual damage."

NSA Bahrain Sexual Assault Response Coordinator (SARC) Ann C. Wilson said a sexual assault occurs in the United States every two minutes. To punctuate that fact, command representatives blew a whistle every two minutes during the ceremony.

"Today was the official observance of Sexual Assault Awareness Month at NSA," she said. "However, sexual assaults occur every day, and our focus on prevention and awareness should not be limited to this month only. Any day is an opportunity to prevent these crimes."

Without offenders, there would be no victims, she added.

Sexual Assault Prevention and Response is an important element of the readiness area of the 21st Century Sailor and Marine initiative which consolidates a set of objectives and policies, new and existing, to maximize Sailor and Marine personal readiness, build resiliency and hone the most combat-effective force in the history of the Navy and Marine Corps. The Department of the Navy is working to aggressively to prevent sexual assaults, to support sexual assault victims, and to hold offenders accountable.

Help raise awareness by joining the conversation on social media using #SAAM.

For more information, visit www.navy.mil, www.facebook.com/usnavy, or www.twitter.com/usnavy.

For more news from Naval Support Activity Bahrain, visit http://www.navy.mil/local/nsabahrain/.