Taking a Step to Eliminate Sexual Assault Published April 9, 2015 By Airman 1st Class Bonnie Grantham 319th Air Base Wing Public Affairs GRAND FORKS AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. -- Grand Forks Airmen took steps to promote sexual assault awareness by participating in a boot decorating contest and awareness walk for Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention month (SAAPM) at the Fitness Center here April 7. SAAPM is recognized by military and civilian communities within the Department of Defense. The theme for SAAPM this year is "Eliminate sexual assault. Know your part. Do your part." "That means that each one of us has a critical role in preventing sexual assault -- and it starts with how we step in to ensure our environment does not support sexual violence," said Capt. Shiela Flinders, 319th Air Base Wing sexual assault response coordinator. "For example, if we address inappropriate behaviors along the continuum of harm, we can let potential perpetrators know that certain behavior will not be tolerated." Flinders said the purpose of the walk and decorating military boots was to represent Airmen taking a step to prevent sexual assault. The contest consisted of seven teams of five people, civilians and Airmen, and prizes were given to first, second and third place winners. "I have led events similar to this one before and the event always turns out to be not only fun, but competitive between squadrons," said Staff Sgt. Sara Imm, 319th Medical Operations Squadron bioenvironmental engineering craftsman. "It brings out the creativity of teams and lets them portray how they really feel about the issue in a different manner." Each team was able to decorate a pair of military boots donated by the Airman's Activity Council and Tech. Sgt. Timothy Davis. One boot was to represent Sexual Assault Prevention and Awareness and the other their respective squadron. The contest was judged by Sue Grollimund, 319th ABW Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Program assistant, and Keri Kerr, the Grand Forks Community Violence Intervention Center (CVIC) director of community innovations. "CVIC and GFAFB have actually had a very long-standing relationship. Starting back in about 1998, we did a coordinated community response and so we've been doing structured activities with the base ever since then regarding addressing issues of victimization," said Kerr. "I've been coming out for several years to do training of commanders and on down over issues of domestic violence and sexual assault." The awareness walk and boot decorating contest not only promoted sexual assault awareness, but also a sense of solidarity among the members that participated. Members were able to write on poster boards what their response would be if someone told them they had been sexually assaulted, which helped to show that there are people all throughout the squadrons willing to listen and help. "It was good seeing what everyone else would do in that situation," said Airman 1st Class Ashley Smith, 319th Logistics Readiness Squadron traffic management journeyman and Airman's Activity Council president. "It makes it better for other people knowing people are there to help them. Having support in that situation is the number one priority."