Team McChord airmen came together to participate in a Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month event hosted by the McChord Field Sexual Assault Prevention and Response (SAPR) team, April 27, at Joint Base Lewis-McChord.

Strike Out Sexual Assault was a bowling event held at McChord Field's Sounders Lane to raise awareness about sexual assault.

"It's great community building," said Heather Van Mill, McChord Field SAPR program manager. "Everybody came together as a community to heighten awareness surrounding this crime and the issue of sexual assault, and take a strong stance against it."

This was one of several events held in April, Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention month.

"During (April) we focus on everything to do with sexual assault and bringing awareness to the community around us as well as in Pierce County, anywhere around us ... Air Force and Army area affiliations and their partners as well," said Tech. Sgt. Rayna Anderson, 62nd Airlift Wing volunteer victim advocate and sexual assault response team coordinator intern.

The SAPR team's theme this year is protecting our people, protecting the mission.

"It's just making sure that people are aware of what's going on," said Anderson. "One person makes a big deal. One person spreads the word to everybody else."

Ensuring people are both informed and empowered to do something about sexual assault is a big part of the SAPR team's job.

"We want to lower the amount of cases we see come in any base, not just JBLM, but any military installation," said Anderson. "Reports have been low in the past and we're in a new setting and military lifestyle we've started to speak out more. We want everyone to know it's okay to report. We need people to be determined to step up and say this is not okay."

The SAPR office is located in building 100, room 3024. They can be reached in their office at 253.982.0473 or through their 24/7 helpline at 253.982.7272.