{"id":2713,"date":"2023-04-06T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-04-06T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/?p=2713"},"modified":"2023-04-08T03:38:34","modified_gmt":"2023-04-08T03:38:34","slug":"training-speaking-up-key-to-fighting-sexual-assault","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/?p=2713","title":{"rendered":"Training, \u2018Speaking Up\u2019 Key to Fighting Sexual Assault"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n Efforts to prevent sexual assault in the National Guard continue as senior leaders implement \u201clines of effort\u201d to eradicate the ongoing problem.
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\n VIEW ORIGINAL<\/a>
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ARLINGTON, Va. – The fight against the scourge of sexual assault in the National Guard continues as its senior leaders implement \u201clines of effort\u201d to eradicate the ongoing problem.<\/p>\n

With an emphasis on Guard support to the 2022 National Defense Strategy, Air Force Maj. Gen. Wendy Wenke said tackling sexual assault comes down to supporting Soldiers and Airmen.<\/p>\n

\u201cTaking care of our people and providing a safe environment free of harassment and assault enables our service members to focus on training \u2014 so when the time does come to support their local community and state during an emergency or get called up to support a federal mission, they are ready,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Wenke is the director of the National Guard Bureau\u2019s manpower and personnel directorate, which heads the Sexual Assault and Prevention Response program division responsible for implementing the Defense Department\u2019s policy on SAPR programs and training.<\/p>\n

She said the Army and Air National Guard are in alignment as senior leaders determine what best practices need to be implemented throughout the 50 states, three territories and the District of Columbia.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe past two years, we\u2019ve worked very hard to unify the program and take a holistic approach,\u201d Wenke said. \u201cIn other words, we\u2019ve always been on the response side, but we\u2019re now incorporating how to get left of an incident, or in front of it, to include dedicated prevention personnel, improved accountability and training.\u201d<\/p>\n

That training, she added, involves modernizing efforts that augment PowerPoint slides with improved scenario-based vignettes and small group discussions. But training will continue to home in on SAPR processes and rights if sexual assault occurs.<\/p>\n

In addition, senior leaders and SAPR personnel are examining ways to enhance accountability tracking throughout the reporting process. Wenke said this involves \u201cdiving down into what exactly is going on\u201d and analyzing data from incidents while asking pertinent questions.<\/p>\n

\u201cAre there particular organizations [where the incidents took place]? Are there particular victims and perpetrators? Are there particular times of the days [when the incidents took place]?\u201d Wenke said.<\/p>\n

Once data is reviewed, leaders and SAPR personnel can identify trends to provide the means for \u201ca unit commander to know where they need to take action and what they need to do to get left of the incident \u2014 to stop it,\u201d she explained.<\/p>\n

While sexual assault is blind to the perpetrator and victim\u2019s sex, Wenke noted that men\u2019s sexual assault is one of the most underreported impact areas.<\/p>\n

\u201cData has shown us that over the past year, the National Guard has more men reporting [sexual assault] than in past years,\u201d Wenke said.<\/p>\n

For Heath Phillips, a sexual assault prevention advocate and survivor, silence had horrible consequences. His assault lasted 10 months as a Sailor in the Navy.<\/p>\n

\u201cNobody ever helped me. Nobody ever stood up for me. Everyone stayed silent,\u201d he said, adding that mindset was all too prevalent during his time aboard a ship.<\/p>\n

For this reason, Phillips has shared his story at more than 300 SAPR events while professing the slogan \u201cBe The Change.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI just want people to change because the more they stay silent, the easier it is for perpetrators because they know nobody\u2019s going to speak up,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

Though open communication will not work miracles overnight, Phillips said he \u201chammers\u201d audiences that sharing stories and speaking up promotes a culture of trust and shared understanding \u2014 while defeating the stigma of seeking help.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m not going to say we\u2019re going to stop [all] sexual assaults, but we can definitely lower numbers and make it incredibly hard for perpetrators \u2014 because now we\u2019re speaking up and reaching out,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

As a mother of a current and former service member, Wenke likened ongoing efforts to eradicate sexual assault within the ranks to that of a family.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen your children decide to serve, you want them to go into an environment where they will not be harmed by those they serve with,\u201d she said. \u201cAnd then, as a member, you want to know you\u2019re joining a family you can trust.\u201d<\/p>\n

Not having that trust, she added, can have devastating outcomes.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf we allow this to exist in our system, it breaks down those you have to trust and rely on when it comes to combat. And that is not good for readiness. It\u2019s not good for recruiting, it\u2019s not good for retention, and most importantly, it\u2019s not good for the individual,\u201d she said. \u201cIt permeates a family when it is not dealt with for years.\u201d<\/p>\n

To report an incident of sexual assault or harassment, contact the Department of Defense Safe Helpline at 877-995-5247.<\/p>\n

For more National Guard news<\/a><\/p>\n

National Guard Facebook<\/a><\/p>\n

National Guard Twitter<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Efforts to prevent sexual assault in the National Guard continue as senior leaders implement \u201clines of effort\u201d to eradicate the ongoing problem. (Photo Credit: National Guard) VIEW ORIGINAL ARLINGTON, Va. – The fight against the scourge of sexual assault in the National Guard continues as its senior leaders implement \u201clines of effort\u201d to eradicate the […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":528,"comment_status":"close","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2713","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2713","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=2713"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2713\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2714,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2713\/revisions\/2714"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/528"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=2713"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=2713"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=2713"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}