SAPR to host safe date night

Published Feb. 24, 2012
By 47th Flying Training Wing Public Affairs

LAUGHLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Texas -- Laughlin's Sexual Assault Prevention and Response team will host a "Safe date night" for single Airmen E-1 to E-4 as well as O-1 to O-3 Feb. 28 here.

Enlisted members will gather at Stripes Enlisted Lounge from 5 to 6:30 p.m. and officers will meet at Club XL from 7 to 8:30 p.m.

"February is Valentine's Month and so it afforded a great opportunity to promote healthy relationships and dating," said Machelle Terrell, 47th Flying Training Wing sexual assault response coordinator. "According to Air Force data, new Airmen are at greater risk for sexual assault for the first three years of being in the Air Force."

She noted that the affected individuals usually fall within the ranks of E-4 and below as well O-3 and below and is why the event is targeted to those areas.

The event is designed to draw in single Airmen on base to promote ideas such as: asking for consent, making smarter choices with partners, supporting survivors of sexual assault and intervening when danger is present.

"If single Airmen are looking for some action to break up the monotony of a long week, then safe date night is for them," Terrell said. "The free steak dinner, music, prizes and give-a-ways is a way to get young people involved while receiving some valuable information that may make a difference in their life or a friend's."

To sign up or for more information on the event, e-mail Elsa Sauceda at elsa.sauceda@laughlin.af.mil or call 298-4545.