TTGL Hosts 2018 SAPR Awareness Challenge

More than 250 Sailors, Marines and civilians from Naval Air Station Oceana (NAS) and Dam Neck Annex tenant commands participated in the 2nd Annual Sexual Assault Prevention and Response (SAPR) Awareness Challenge obstacle course hosted by Tactical Training Group Atlantic (TTGL) on board NAS Oceana Dam Neck Annex.

The participants in the event took time out of their day to show that there is support for those who have been through sexual assault and that it is time to stand up and be heard that there is no excuse for sexual assault and that there are always a team of people to support and stand behind victims.

“My goal for this event is to help end the stigma and let people know that there is an entire group of people out here supporting the effort to end sexual assault,” said Electronics Technician 2nd Class Keshia Johnson, a victim advocate from TTGL.

The theme behind this year’s obstacles was to emphasize teamwork and to show that no one goes through this alone and that there is no way to end this alone, so many of the obstacles required people to assist one another in completing the obstacles.

“There are people here to support, the network is bigger than just the Victim Advocates there is an entire group of people here to support victims going through this,” said Information Systems Technician 3rd Class Sherrai Lewis, a victim advocate from TTGL. “A big part of the Sexual Assault Prevention and Response (SPAR) program is understanding that no one has to go through this alone.”

The obstacles were sponsored by other commands and the larger ones were painted with messages so that even the people not participating in the event will see the signs and see the messaging.

“We are challenging people to step up and come forward, at every stage of this course there is going to be a team of people to step in and help participants complete the obstacles, just like there are people to support victims,” said Amy Wade-Smith, the lead installation Sexual Assault Response Coordinator (SARC) for Oceana and Dam Neck. “We know that teamwork is a key part of this process so helping one another and letting people know that there is a team supporting people through this process.”

The SAPR program is not just about responding after a tragic event has happened but is geared toward training Sailors and Marines be aware of their surroundings and step-up if something seems out of place.

The final obstacle of the day was a balloon throw toward a chalk written sign with the words “Help Us Blot Out Sexual Assault” and by the end of the race the words ‘Sexual Assault’ were no longer visible, showing the commitment of these Sailors, Marines and civilians to eliminate sexual assault from the Navy and Marine Corps.