The Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola Commanding Officer joined community leaders in signing a Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month (SAAPM) proclamation April 17 at the Lakeview Rape Crisis Center in Pensacola, Florida.

NAS Pensacola Commanding Officer Capt. Christopher Martin, along with community leaders including Lakeview Rape Crisis Center Director Mack Moore, University of West Florida Vice President for Student Affairs Kevin Bailey and other city officials lined up to sign the proclamation.

The purpose of the proclamation is to make it clear that NAS Pensacola and civilian partners do not tolerate crimes such as sexual assault and to dedicate the month of April to bringing awareness about sexual assault and how to prevent it.

Martin served as the event's keynote speaker.

"It's a great collaboration that the city of Pensacola and the military have," Martin said. "We are working together to address sexual assault and hopefully solve these issues."

NAS Pensacola has supported SAAPM with events such as the Pure Praxis performances, a social theater group that trains and empowers service members at military installations worldwide; information tables and Teal Tuesdays, where civilian personnel onboard NAS Pensacola are encouraged to wear teal each Tuesday in April to help spread awareness. SAAPM events are scheduled to continue throughout April. The Naval Air Technical Training Center (NATTC)-sponsored Amazing SAPR (Sexual Assault Prevention and Response) Race is scheduled to take place April 21.

SAAPM has been a key part of the Navy's SAPR program for more than 15 years. This year's SAAPM theme - "Protecting our People Protects our Mission" - is a reminder to all Navy personnel that everyone plays a role in ensuring the men and women should be able to live and work free from the threat of sexual assault. In addition to the devastating impact on an individual, a sexual assault can severely impact a unit's readiness to perform its mission, according to the official Navy website on SAAPM: http://www.sapr.mil/index.php/saapm.

"It is our duty and responsibility to ensure that this is not just an April thing, that this is a 365 day program to educate our Sailors to interact and identify a bad situation and become a proactive bystander," said Center for Naval Aviation Technical Training (CNATT) SAPR Victim Advocate Chief Aviation Electronics Technician Richard Staszak.

Sexual assault is defined as intentional sexual contact characterized by use of force, threats, intimidation, abuse of authority or when the victim does not or cannot consent. It can occur without regard to gender or spousal relationship or age of victim.

Victims of sexual assault have two reporting options -- unrestricted and restricted. Unrestricted cases are reported through the chain of command, while restricted reports are made confidentially, which allows victims to get help without reporting it through their chain of command or law enforcement.

Sexual Assault Prevention and Response is an important element of the 21st Century Sailor and Marine initiative, which consolidates a set of objectives and policies to maximize Sailor and Marine Corps personal readiness, build resiliency and hone the most combat-effective force in the history of the Navy and Marine Corps.

Anyone in immediate danger should call 911. To report a sexual assault, call the toll-free DoD Safe Helpline at (877) 995-5247, the Naval Air Station Pensacola Sexual Assault Response Coordinator (SARC) at 452-5109/9017 or your command SAPR victim advocate.

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

For more news from Center for Naval Aviation Technical Training, visit www.navy.mil/.