17th TRW Hosts SAPR Symposium 2022

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Sarah Williams
  • 17th Training Wing Public Affairs

The 17th Training Wing's Sexual Assult Prevention and Response office hosted a Commander and First Sergeant SAPR Symposium at Taylor Chapel on Oct. 21.

The goal of the SAPR Symposium was to expand leadership’s knowledge of tactics and techniques, ensuring victims receive empathetic care and dedicated response after the event of a sexual assault.

“The symposium allows us to reflect on ourselves and the way we think,” said Lt. Col. Jennifer Johnson, 17th Healthcare Operations commander. “We learned tools that allow us to discern the best way to move forward if we encounter a victim.”

The event taught leadership how to identify and check unconscious biases and how the brain operates in response to traumatic events.

“Our leaders, who are helping these victims through the recovery process, are the frontline of support,” said Tech. Sgt. Gage Tressitt, 17th Training Wing deputy SAPR coordinator. “They are directly affecting someone’s ability to cope and process what is possibly the worst event that will happen to the victim.”