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News | May 1, 2018

Distribution recognizes Sexual Assault Awareness Month

By Brianne M. Bender, DLA Distribution Public Affairs

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month and this year’s theme was “Protecting our people protects our mission.” Defense Logistics Agency Distribution, following the Department of Defense, observed this month by focusing on creating the appropriate culture to eliminate sexual assault and requires a personal commitment from all service members and DoD civilians at every level.

In support of April’s Sexual Assault Awareness Month, DLA and DLA Distribution hosted numerous events throughout the month. On April 25th, employees across the DLA Distribution network were encouraged to wear denim in support of Denim Day. 

Denim Day grew out of a 1998 Italian Supreme Court decision that overturned a rape conviction because the victim wore tight jeans. The justices felt that because the victim was wearing tight jeans at the time of the assault, she must have helped her rapist remove her jeans, thereby implying consent.  Following this verdict, the women in the Italian Parliament came to work wearing jeans in solidarity with the victim.  The Italian Supreme Court has since overturned their findings, and there is no longer a “denim” defense to the charge of rape. 

Additionally, employees were encouraged to wear teal, the color of sexual assault on every Tuesday in April and participate in the virtual fitness challenge.

DLA has a Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Program, and Distribution has two Sexual Assault Response Coordinators or SARCs.  A.J. Brandt is the Distribution East SARC and is located at DLA Distribution Susquehanna, Pennsylvania and Esther Almas is the Distribution West SARC and is located at DLA Distribution San Joaquin, California.

The purpose of this program is to ensure a workforce that is free of sexual assault through prevention, education, standardized response protocols, victim support and an organizational climate that is committed to the safety and resiliency of its workforce.

If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, you can call the DLA SAPR Hotline at 1-800-841-0937 and make a report and/or get resources for help.