CAPE MAY, N.J. – Coast Guard members at Training Center Cape May, N.J., participated in a team building exercise that emphasized the service’s policies and facilitated discussion about sexual assault for Sexual Assault Awareness Month, Tuesday.
The Sexual Assault Stand Down was aimed at attracting attention and facilitating discussions about sexual assault prevention awareness amongst the members stationed at the training center, here.
“The training center is the birthplace of the enlisted corps and responsible for the enculturation of more than 80 percent of the Coast Guard’s entire workforce,” said Capt. Todd Prestidge, commanding officer of Training Center Cape May. “We pride ourselves on developing a workforce that is free from bystanders and intolerant of sexual assault.”
Training Center Cape May has taken significant steps to eliminate sexual assault in the service. This includes not only increasing formal sexual assault training at the unit, but the crew has also increased more informal interactions with chaplains, sexual assault response coordinators, victim advocates, and senior officers and chiefs about the topic of sexual assault. These informal interactions are aimed at instilling trust in the Coast Guard sexual assault reporting system and empowering future Coast Guardsmen to stand up against sexual assault if they are ever confronted with it.
“The purpose of the Coast Guard’s Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Program is to eliminate sexual assault within the Coast Guard by ensuring a culture of prevention, education, victim support and accountability,” said Prestidge. “This is our Coast Guard, and there is no place for sexual assault here.”
For more information about the Coast Guard Sexual Prevention and Response Program, please visit http://www.uscg.mil/worklife/rape_sexual_assault.asp.
Judy Kunec, the family advocate advisor assigned to the work life staff onboard the Coast GuardTraining Center Cape May, N.J., facilitates a question and answer session, Tuesday, April 26, during the training center's annual sexual assault stand down event. The event consisted of different teams competing in different events and then having to answer questions related to the Coast Guard's policies on sexual assault before moving on to the next challenge. (U.S. Coast Guard Photo by Chief Warrant Officer John Edwards)Lt.j.g. Matthew Doepking, a physicians assistant assigned to the medical facilty aboard the Coast Guard Training Center Cape May, N.J., attempts to unlock a lock puzzle, Tuesday, April 26, as part of the training center's annual sexual assault stand down event. Teams participated in various events aimed at team building, while also answering questions about the Coast Guard's policies on sexual assault in order to interactively engage members and promote understanding of problems associated with assaults in the workplace. (U.S. Coast Guard Photo by Chief Warrant Officer John Edwards) Coast Guard Petty Officer 2nd Class Genna Vee Mateo shoots a basketball, Tuesday, April 26, during the Coast Guard Training Center Cape May, N.J., sexual assault prevention annual stand down. The purpose of the event was to engage members and promote understanding of problems associated with assaults in the workplace. (U.S. Coast Guard Photo by Chief Warrant Officer John Edwards) Petty Officer 1st Class William Gunther, a company commander assigned to Coast Guard Training Center Cape May, N.J., tosses a bean bag to score points for his team, Tuesday, April 26, as part of the training center's sexual assault prevention annual stand down. The teams participated in various challenges and answered questions about the Coast Guard's sexual assault policies as a way to interactively engage members and promote understanding of problems associated with assaults in the workplace. (U.S. Coast Guard Photo by Chief Warrant Officer John Edwards)
Active duty Coast Guard members, civilian employees and recruits of Quebec 192 sign in to participate in the Coast Guard Training Center Cape May, N.J. sexual assault stand down event, Tuesday, April 26. This year, teams competed in physical or puzzle challenges as well as answered questions pertaining to the Coast Guard's policies on sexual assault as a way to interactively engage members and promote understanding of problems associated with assaults in the workplace. (U.S. Coast Guard Photo by Chief Warrant Officer John Edwards)