T-shirts at Shaw combat sexual assault Published April 11, 2006 By Capt. Suzanne Ovel 20th Fighter Wing Public Affairs SHAW AIR FORCE BASE, S.C. -- “They beat you; they raped you; they left you for dead,” reads one. Another simply states “It still hurts.” Creating T-shirt designs like these is meant to be therapeutic for sexual assault victims, which is the purpose of The Clothesline Project; displaying the shirts is meant to bring awareness to the general public of the issue of sexual assault. Such a display is just one of several events here this month as part of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, said Cynthia Evans, the Sexual Assault Response and Prevention coordinator at Shaw AFB, S.C. Although one in six women and one in 33 men will be sexually assaulted in their lifetime, only 20 percent nationally report such crimes, Mrs. Evans said. She and others hope to not only spread awareness about these crimes, but to also prevent them from ever occurring. “Take responsibility for your behavior, and help the next person out to prevent being in a vulnerable situation,” Mrs. Evans said. Following safe behaviors, such as never leaving an alcoholic drink unattended, is one way to prevent assaults. Perpetrators may also attempt to take advantage of impaired thinking that accompanies intoxication. Isolation is another concern. There’s truth to the old adage about safety in numbers. “Alcohol is the No. 1 weapon of choice,” Mrs. Evans said. Another weapon is trust; 88 percent of all rapes are committed by acquaintances. “Right now they hide behind normal acceptable behaviors,” Mrs. Evans said. She said she encourages Airmen to take care of each other. “If you’ve got a friend and that friend is intoxicated, don’t let that person be isolated,” she said. “If you go out together, you go home together.” If the worst occurs, Mrs. Evans works with victims to provide them with medical and emotional assistance. If Airmen are assaulted, she encourages them to immediately call the SARC hotline at 895-7272. Restricted reporting -- the option to receive medical treatment and counseling without triggering an official investigative process -- can only be observed if the victim contacts the SARC office first. Reporting sexual assault to other military members obligates them to officially report and investigate the crime. While the base SARC office works primarily with military members, they also work with family member victims to find them help with a civilian counterpart. If victims do decide to press charges, medical evidence is crucial. Sexual assault victims should receive medical attention within 72 hours, and should not bathe, shower or change clothes beforehand. Mrs. Evans keeps a sample forensics kit in her office to explain the medical process to victims -- one of many ways she tries to make sexual assault victims more comfortable in accepting assistance. Another key concern is preventing the long-lasting emotional trauma which often accompanies sexual assault, and involves self-blame and fear for personal safety. “Sexual assault survivors experience a tremendous amount of fear, shame, stigma, loss of trust and self-blame,” Mrs. Evans said. “This type of fear sticks with victims a long time.” As one who has worked with numerous victims, Mrs. Evans wants less people to experience this fear. She wants people to actively work to prevent future assaults. And before next year’s Sexual Assault Awareness Month, she wants less people to have a reason to design T-shirts to declare their pain. To become a victim advocate for victims of sexual assault, contact Mrs. Evans at 895-1928.