27 April 2020 By MyNavy HR Fleet Master Chief Wes Koshoffer Shipmates, Fleet Master Chief Koshoffer from MyNavy HR here to talk about Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month. COVID-19 mitigation efforts have really changed the way we are doing business in many areas of our Navy but there are some things that we must continue to work on, regardless of the scenario we are facing. Preventing sexual harassment and sexual assault is one of those areas where we can never take our eye off the ball. Last year during Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month, we renewed our commitment to prevent sexual violence. This year, we will build on that pledge with some actionable steps: Respect. Protect. Empower. We must, at all times, commit to treating others with respect. Protecting one another from harm and empowering those around us to speak up and step in. We all play a significant role in prevention! We have a great team of coordinators, advocates, and support personnel doing amazing work but the responsibility to protect our Shipmates is shared by every one of us. Every member of our team must set the tone, lead by example, and consistently engage in behavior that fosters dignity and respect. We must hold ourselves accountable to the highest possible standards of conduct, and we must create an inclusive team that is focused on building a stronger, more resilient, and more powerful Navy. While April presents an opportunity to highlight the SAPR Program, eradicating sexual assault from our ranks can only be accomplished when all hands are engaged in creating a positive, professional environment that is built on trust. Although we will not be able to conduct the same types of “events” that we normally would – we can still spend some time looking at the culture that we are creating in our workplace and we can certainly re-dedicate ourselves to the prevention of sexual assault in our Navy!