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SAPR speaker provides powerful insight to sexual abuse

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Alex Mercer
  • 27th Special Operations Wing Public Affairs
CANNON AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. --  Dr. David Lisak, a nationally recognized forensic consultant, professional trainer and lecturer in the field of Sexual Assault Prevention and Response, provided his expertise to Cannon’s Air Commandos during five briefings over the course of two days, Thursday and Friday.

Cannon’s Sexual Assault Response Coordinators, Jean Masters and Celeste Whitlock, provided Airmen, wing leadership, first responders and civilian employees a unique forum to learn about major SAPR-related issues facing the Air Force, as well as the opportunity to engage with Dr. Lisak regarding sexual assault in the military.

According to Lisak’s website, his research and applied forensic work on non-stranger rapists has helped guide rape prevention and response policies in major institutions, including the U.S. Armed Services. Lisak is a founding board member of 1in6, a national non-profit devoted to helping men who were sexually abused as children, and is a survivor of childhood sexual abuse himself. He was one of three men profiled in the documentary, “Boys and Men Healing.”

“I came out to Cannon to focus primarily on male victims of sexual assault,” Lisak stated. “They represent a demographic that is very often overlooked when discussing assault. There are so many more male victims than people are aware of.”

In a recent article published by the Washington Post, growing conversations about sexual assault have prompted the Government Accountability Office to focus effort on this area that is less commonly discussed: sexual assaults by men on men.

“Because all military service branches are still so disproportionately male, there are more male-on-male cases of assault than people might have previously believed,” Lisak said. “While females tend to be at greater risk, the actual number of male victims exceeds the number of females each year statistically.”

The article stated that, while the Department of Defense has made numerous implementations in an attempt to reduce sexual assault cases, men still feel a stigma associated with making official reports. Officials raised the question of whether altering sexual assault training within the military and the overarching conversations about sexual assault would help with people feeling empowered to come forward.

“That is what 1in6 focuses on,” Lisak continued. “We are working hard to change minds and empower people to come forward. We want to open doors for men who need help so that they feel confident in starting that conversation.”

“It is imperative that we address the stigmas associated with men who were victims of sexual abuse,” he said. “There is still so much misinformation that exists. Take for instance the ‘vampire myth’; it asserts that men who were victims of sexual abuse are destined to become abusers themselves.”

Lisak noted that many men who were abused at a young age and become aware of this myth chose to not have children of their own out of fear that they might abuse their own children.

“This kind of misinformation helps grow these fears,” said Lisak. “This is one of the reasons I also helped with the foundation of the Bristlecone Project. Bristlecone pine trees survive and thrive in very harsh conditions. They endure thin soil, strong winds, freezing temperatures and limited water; they are capable of living thousands of years and are among the oldest living organisms on the planet - an empowering metaphor for the survivors of sexual abuse.”

“The project revolves around photographing powerful portraits of men who were victims of sexual abuse and video interviews of their stories,” he stated. “Every effort is geared toward letting people know they are not alone. There are many of us, and we are no longer silent and secretive. We are able to speak out about what we have endured and offer support to others so they do not have to suffer alone.”

Lisak made mention of his perception of the 27th Special Operations Wing and the climate he believes leadership is creating for Air Commandos.

“I love the fact that you have an active community of people working the sexual assault issue here,” Lisak stated. “I like that they wanted to have a public discussion specifically about male victims.”

“It is not just sexual assault against women, it is assault against human beings – and men are human beings,” he continued. “Courage takes on many forms and there is a lot of courage at a base like this. It is also incredibly courageous to sit in front of a camera and talk about your own vulnerabilities from a positon of strength; that is another type of courage I want to recognize.”

Click here for more information on the Bristlecone Project.

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