R 281513Z MAR 12
UNCLASSIFIED//
MARADMIN 175/12
MSGID/GENADMIN,USMTF,2007/CMC WASHINGTON DC MRA MF(UC)/F002//
SUBJ/NATIONAL OBSERVANCE OF SEXUAL ASSAULT AWARENESS MONTH//
POC/M. E. COHEN/NF-5/UNIT:MFC3/-/TEL:703-432-9765//
GENTEXT/REMARKS/1.  NATIONALLY, APRIL IS RECOGNIZED AS SEXUAL ASSAULT AWARENESS MONTH (SAAM).  THE THEME FOR 2012 WILL AGAIN BE "HURTS ONE. AFFECTS ALL," HIGHLIGHTING THE IMPORTANCE OF INTERVENTION.
2.  SEXUAL ASSAULT IS A CRIMINAL ACT THAT UNDERMINES MISSION READINESS, DEGRADES COMMAND CLIMATE AND CONTRADICTS MARINE CORPS VALUES.  THE TOP-DOWN LEADERSHIP MESSAGE IS CLEAR AND CONSISTENT: ONE SEXUAL ASSAULT IN THE MARINE CORPS IS ONE TOO MANY AND WILL NOT BE TOLERATED.  THIS IS A COLLECTIVE ISSUE THAT AFFECTS ALL MARINES--WITH DEVASTATING AND LIFELONG IMPACT ON VICTIMS.
3.  THE GREATEST WEAPON IN THE BATTLE AGAINST SEXUAL ASSAULT IS ENGAGED LEADERS.  "TAKE A STAND," THE VIDEO-BASED BYSTANDER INTERVENTION TRAINING IMPLEMENTED FOR NON-COMMISSIONED OFFICERS IN JANUARY 2012, IS ONE EXAMPLE OF THE EFFORT UNDERWAY TO ENSURE THAT EVERY MARINE UNDERSTANDS HIS OR HER INHERENT DUTY TO STEP UP AND STEP IN TO PREVENT SEXUAL ASSAULT.
4.  THE MARINE CORPS IS COMMITTED TO REDUCING THE NUMBER OF SEXUAL ASSAULTS.  COMMANDERS ARE ENCOURAGED TO SHOW THEIR COMMITMENT TO THE SEXUAL ASSAULT PREVENTION AND RESPONSE (SAPR) PROGRAM BY SUPPORTING LOCALLY-SCHEDULED EVENTS BOTH IN APRIL AND THROUGHOUT THE YEAR.
5.  RELEASE AUTHORIZED BY BGEN R. F. HEDELUND, DIRECTOR, MARINE AND FAMILY PROGRAMS DIVISION.//