Chrysalis Room provides 'new' beginning

  • Published
  • By Airman 1st Class Leah Murray
  • 49th Wing Public Affairs
HOLLOMAN AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. - --  In compliance with an Air Combat Command directive and in conjunction with Sexual Assault Awareness Month, the 49th Wing Sexual Assault Prevention and Response team opened a new resource room April 25. The room is a place for survivors of sexual assault, victim advocates, or anyone who is in need of a quiet retreat.

Named The Chrysalis Room, the room symbolizes the process of change and healing, and it contains resources, including books, DVDs and off-network computers.

"A chrysalis is the cocoon that a caterpillar makes when they become a butterfly," said Tracey Spencer, 49th Wing Sexual Assault Response Coordinator. "When someone comes back from being sexually assaulted, they start to heal. They're going to be someone else; have a new normal, that's why I think the word 'chrysalis' fits so well. It's a new beginning."

The room is located on the second floor of the wing headquarters buildings, next to the SARC office and is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Although the room is next to office space, Spencer and her assistant, Jennifer Childers-Ansell, stressed the importance of not wanting people to be afraid to utilize it.

"The room is connected to the office, because we want to make sure that if someone needs our help we're here for them," said Ansell. "But Airmen and families use the room everyday for all sorts of reasons, so there is no assumption made when anyone visits."