Sailors aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) commenced their observation of Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month (SAAPM), April 1.

Throughout the month of April, Abraham Lincoln Sailors are given the opportunity to uphold the SAAPM theme "Protecting Our People Protects Our Mission," which stresses the importance of looking out for fellow shipmates, speaking up when they see something wrong and using available resources so they can focus on the mission.

"If you have Sailors who are mentally, emotionally or physically ill because of a sexual assault, they're not going to be able to do their job," said Electronics Technician 2nd Class Jordan Gould, a Sexual Assault Prevention and Response (SAPR) Victim's Advocate (VA) aboard Abraham Lincoln.

"We cannot have a mission without people," said Senior Chief Culinary Specialist Sipla Jones, one of Abraham Lincoln's command SAPR program managers. "If our people don't feel safe or protected, or that they can't trust anyone, our mission will not be successful."

In January of 2005, SAPR was created after a task force was formed to investigate the process for treatment and care of victims of sexual assault in military services. The program included a victim advocacy component and a coordinated sexual assault response effort, adding a team of trained first responders, which included more than 1,200 sexual assault response coordinators (SARCs), chaplains, lawyers and law enforcement members. Additionally, the Navy established sexual assault program offices at all major military installations, where more than one million service members were trained and continue to train today.

The sexual assault training Sailors receive highlights the role each Sailor plays in sexual assault prevention, and empowers them to intervene in a potentially harmful situation.

"We don't even like to call it bystander [intervention] anymore, because we don't want anybody to think of themselves as somebody who stands by," said Gould. "Really and truly it's about protecting your shipmates."

The SAPR program places emphasis on preventing sexual assault, supporting victims and encouraging reporting and accountability.

SAPR policy offers service members and their adult military dependents two reporting options - restricted reporting and unrestricted reporting.

When the adult sexual assault victim uses unrestricted reporting, both the command and law enforcement are notified. This option is recommended for victims of sexual assault who desire an official investigation as well as healthcare, victim advocacy and legal services.

Restricted reporting offers adult victims of sexual assault to report the crime to specified individuals who can then ensure the victim receives the same services without notifying command or law enforcement officials.

According to the DOD, sexual assault is the most underreported crime in our society and in the military.

Gould believes it is so underreported because it is one of the very few crimes in which the victim is often blamed.

Whether the report is unrestricted or restricted, the first priority is for victims to be treated with dignity and respect and receive the medical treatment, mental health counseling, and the advocacy services that they need.

Aviation Electronics Technician 2nd Class Torie Carpenter, a SAPR VA aboard Abraham Lincoln, says SAAPM is about bringing awareness and being knowledgeable, and that the more people know about sexual assault prevention, the more understanding they'll be to the victim and the situation.

Likewise, Gould stressed that focusing on SAPR this month is very important.

"It's something that is unpleasant," said Gould. "It's something that is scary, so we put it outside our bubble, and we don't think about it. You need to be aware of it. You need to be a proponent of change. You need to be an advocate for your shipmates.'"

Each service member, regardless of rank, plays a role in protecting the men and women around them from the threat of sexual assault, and protecting our mission by being dedicated to supporting a climate where sexist neither behaviors, sexual harassment, hazing, bullying nor sexual assault are ignored, tolerated or condoned.

To make a report, contact your SAPR VA for options. Contact information for local program offices can be found at www.cnic.navy.mil or 1-757-438-3504.

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

For more news from USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72), visit www.navy.mil/.