CFAY Signs Proclamation Against Sexual Assault
By MC2 (SW/AW) John Smolinski, CFAY Public Affairs


Commander, Fleet Activities Yokosuka Capt. David A. Owen signs a proclamation declaring the month of April as Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM) at CFAY April 6. The proclamation states that we must work together to educate our entire population about what can be done to eradicate and prevent sexual assault, support the victims and ensure that they are given the help that they need to ensure they recover and are not re-victimized.

Commander, Fleet Activities Yokosuka (CFAY) Capt. David A. Owen signed a proclamation declaring the month of April as Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM) at CFAY April 6.

The proclamation states that we must work together to educate our entire population about what can be done to eradicate and prevent sexual assault, support the victims and ensure that they are given the help that they need to ensure they recover and are not re-victimized.

“The U.S. Navy is committed to eliminating sexual assault in the Navy, insuring compassionate support for the victim and investigating all cases thoroughly and holding assailants accountable,” said Theodore Joyner, CFAY sexual assault response coordinator (SARC).

April is the eighth annual Department of Defense SAAM.

With the theme “Hurts One…Affects All. Preventing sexual assault is everyone’s duty,” this event is designed to promote the prevention of sexual violence.

“What this (proclamation) really aims to do is to re-emphasize our commitment to cut back and eliminate sexual assaults throughout the year,” said Owen. “(Sexual assaults) does not just impact women; we have had men sexually assaulted. People don’t realize who the victims are and there is a misconception on who the predators are.”

Sexual assault is a crime that erodes fleet operational readiness and requires leadership from all levels of the chain of command.

“The experience of a sexual assault can disrupt the Sailor ’s life and their ability to function in their workplace, it interferes with their trust, compromises their ability to accomplish the mission and undermines their readiness,” said Joyner.

“It is important that a victim begins the road to recovery by getting the available resources to include medical, pastoral care, clinical counseling and advocacy care…it is important that the victim gets help so they do not have to suffer alone.”

Victims of sexual assaults have options on how they want to tell someone based on their own comfort level.

“A restricted report, is a reporting option that allows victims to confidentially disclose the crime to specifically identified individuals and receive medical treatment, advocacy and counseling without triggering the official investigative process,” said Joyner.

“An unrestricted report is the reporting option for victims of sexual assault who want medical treatment, advocacy, counseling and an official investigation of the crime. NCIS conducts the investigations of sexual assaults and the details of the incident are limited to those with a need to know.”

According to Joyner, if someone would like to submit a restricted report, whether you are service member or a civilian, they can go to the SAPR Victim Advocate, SAPR Sexual Assault Response Coordinator (SARC), a medical provider, or the Chaplain.

Unrestricted reports can be filed through a SAPR Victim Advocate, the command SARC, a medical provider, Chaplain, NCIS, base security or their command.

“Everyone has a role in stopping sexual assault,” said Joyner. “This year’s theme ‘Hurts One. Affects All,’ not only conveys that sexual assault affects the victim, it affects bystanders. Preserving mission readiness can serve, then, as motivation for acts of bystander intervention.”