In observance of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, leaders at White Sands Missile Range signed a proclamation encouraging everyone to “Step Forward: Prevent. Report. Advocate” April 1 at the Cox Range Control Center.
WSMR Leaders Sign SHARP Proclamation
In observance of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, leaders at White Sands Missile Range signed a proclamation encouraging everyone to “Step Forward: Prevent. Report. Advocate” April 1 at the Cox Range Control Center.
WSMR Garrison Commander Col. Don Mozer and Fred Hankerson, Deputy Garrison Commander, signed the proclamation along with other leaders.
“We all observe the Army values, and part of those Army values includes treating everyone with dignity and respect,” Mozer said. “We need to make sure everyone understands what the standards are.”
Angela Gutierrez-Macias, Sexual Assault/Sexual Harassment Prevention Specialist/Victim Advocate, welcomed everyone to the event and emphasized the importance of prevention and intervention.
The proclamation reads as follows: This month our Army will observe our annual Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month with the theme “Step Forward: Prevent. Report. Advocate”. The Step Forward campaign is a call to action for all individuals to use their personal and collective strength to advance meaningful change in preventing and responding to sexual violence.
We all have a part in combating sexual assault, and Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month offers an excellent opportunity to focus attention on our individual roles. We should be able to identify situations that pose a risk for sexual harassment and sexual assault and demonstrate the social courage to safely correct harmful behavior.
The Army’s preventive approach engages Leaders, Service Members, Family Members and Civilians at all levels, to make a personal commitment to stopping the criminal acts of sexual assault and sexual harassment. By committing to a command climate where everyone is afforded the opportunity to achieve their full human potential, Service Members, Family Members, and Civilians are empowered to recognize, intervene, and stop sexual assault and sexual harassment.
An Army free of sexual assault and sexual harassment, where every Service Member, Family Member and Civilian is treated with dignity and respect, is a fundamental right for everyone in our ranks.
As part of the campaign WSMR will also observe Denim Day on April 29. Denim Day is an observation in solidarity with sexual assault victims.
Miriam Uribe Rodriguez
WSMR Public Affairs