Malissa Welch and Jacqueline Andrews stand at the forefront of the battle against sexual assault on post.
As a sexual assault response coordinator and victim advocate, respectively, the women have used the current Sexual Assault Awareness Month to broadcast the message of prevention to service members and civilians -- loud, clear and as often as possible.
"When sexual assault occurs, there is (negative) impact on the unit, the organization and the community -- not just the individual," Welch said.
"There is a ripple effect. The victim is part of all of those."
April is Sexual Assault Prevention Awareness month throughout the DOD.
Welch advises that everyone on post is responsible for protecting one another.
"Eliminate it, know your part and take action," she said of sexual assault. The message "has to be reinforced, reinforced and reinforced."
Sexual assault is underreported throughout DOD. Reporting of such crimes on post has risen about 7 percent a year from 2006 through 2012, Welch said. But in 2013, reporting rose nearly 50 percent.
Andrews and Welch believe the rise comes because senior leadership has created a climate of confidence and trust, ensuring victims are accorded respect and dignity, and do not suffer reprisal if they come forward.
In addition to encouraging victims to report, the awareness campaign includes bystander-intervention training.
"If the victim is not comfortable, maybe the bystander will act," Andrews said. "That empowers other people around to take action, too."
Intervention is the responsibility of everyone who sees that a colleague or friend cannot make reasonable decisions and appears to be headed for trouble.
"In many cases where someone else is present in a situation that may be going the wrong direction, that person can intervene early and potentially prevent a more serious issue," Welch said. "That's much better than the 'It's not my business -- they're adults' attitude of the past."
In addition to raising awareness and providing support services, post SARCs and VAs receive annual training from professionals at MEDDAC, Sexual Trauma Services of the Midlands, Special Victim Counsel, U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division and Palmetto Health.
Awareness events on post this month have included awareness tables, parades, SARC and VA training and the Walk a Mile in Her Shoes event at the State House Wednesday. For National Denim Day on April 29, those who wish to call attention to the prevention of sexual assault should wear denim.
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