News

SAPR awareness briefing inspires Airmen to change culture

  • Published
  • By Airman Daniel Lile
  • 14th Flying Training Wing Public Affairs
COLUMBUS AIR FORCE BASE, Miss. --  A Sexual Assault Prevention and Response briefing was held April 20 at the Kaye Auditorium on Columbus Air Force Base.

The briefing, titled "Mentors in Violence Prevention," discussed how there has been, and still is, a problem with violence toward women.

"This is not anybody's opinion; it is a fact that there is a serious problem related to sexual assault particularly, but not exclusive, to men's violence toward women," said Daryl Fort, sexual violence prevention consultant.

The definition of objectification is to present as an object, especially of sight, touch or other physical sense. Fort explained how culture has a way of objectifying women.
"How many of you asked your chair if you could sit on it before you sat down?" Fort said. "No one, because it is an object, and we are in a culture where women are sometimes viewed as an object of desire, not a person."

Fort continued to explain that the foundation for rape and other sexual assaults begins with little things such as jokes, and that Airmen need to step up and create a culture that stops the little things.

"It does not matter where you fall on the totem pole; you can behave in a way that affects and inspires other people, and that is the exact kind of behavior and attitude it is going to take to solve this problem," he said. "There is always going to be 'nay-sayers' that say it can never be done or 'I don't want to do it.' Fortunately there have always been people that are willing to say 'I am willing to do this.'"

Fort expressed that Airmen do have the power to change the culture around them.

"We make up the culture and the context, and through that we have the power to make changes in it," he said. "At the end of the day it's all up to us as individuals. We have to confront these little things that make up the foundation of this entire culture."

Fort concluded by speaking on how we all need to be the leaders who are willing to step up regardless of rank or age.

"We better be willing to stand up against this regardless of where we are," he said. "This goes from personal to professional; we have to have leadership inside out. Make it a priority of doing what you can from where you are."