BARKSDALE AIR FORCE BASE, La. -- Barksdale’s Sexual Assault Prevention and Response (SAPR) team hosted an open house Dec. 4, 2020, to introduce some new arrivals to the team including deputy sexual assault response coordinator Maj. Minde Geiger and sexual assault response coordinator Misty Talley.
This open house was an opportunity to introduce themselves and their goals to the base community.
“The whole goal here is to show we are integrating with other helping agencies,” said Maj. Minde Geiger, 2nd Bomb Wing deputy sexual assault response coordinator. “We want people to understand that we are a collective effort, so if they come to one of us they know that we will help support them, get them to the right services they need, in the time they need it.”
The SAPR team works with other helping agencies like the domestic abuse victim advocate, special victims counsel, and equal opportunity office. Their goal is to work together to prevent sexual assaults and to provide the best possible response for survivors of sexual assault.
“The big thing about prevention is highlighting what demographics on our base are more at risk and then really reaching out to those individuals,” Geiger said.
One of the SAPR teams upcoming events is a self-care week where they will highlight all of the helping agencies. Their plan is to provide this information at an alternate location, the fitness center, to reach a wider audience of people on the installation.
“It’s really about getting us out there and getting everybody the knowledge, versus just that annual brief they might hear once a year,” Geiger said. “If someone’s on the fence about coming in we would love for them to come by and learn about their options so they can make the informed decision for themselves.”
All conversations with victim advocates and sexual assault response coordinators are confidential and give victims the option of keeping a report restricted. The Barksdale SAPR team highly encourages victims to go straight to their office so they are able to protect their rights to a restricted, unrestricted, or no report at all.
The SAPR team has multiple events planned for April, sexual assault awareness month, including self defense classes, painting with a twist, denim day and more.
“We want to make sure victims know we are here to support them and empower them through their recovery, whatever that looks like for them,” said Misty Talley, 2nd Bomb Wing sexual assault response coordinator. “We don’t judge. We don’t try to put our own personal beliefs on them. It’s all about the victim. We are here to do all that we can do to help the victim through recovery.”