Anonymous letter to the SARC about the SAPR program. Your thoughts?

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 14 May 2015 22:23:35 -0400

A take on the SAPR program from an anonymous female airman. Keeping it civilized and professional since this subject is touchy but conversations need to be had on it or the Services wouldn't push it. Here is the link to the article.

http://www.jqpublicblog.com/one-airmans-view-open-letter-to-the-sarc/

Response by COL Charles Williams made May 14 at 2015 11:17 PM

COL Charles Williams — Thu, 14 May 2015 23:17:39 -0400

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member I say, whoever that SARC is.... is out of touch. The Army went from SARC to SHARP, when I was in command, and it was a huge paradigm shift, wherein the Army (I assumed this was DOD wide) went from a victim centered approach (that, how not to be a victim), to a perpetrator centered focus (who are the perpetrators). It is a double edge sword at MAJ Carl Ballinger stated, but something tells me whoever delivered that training missed the boat. But, I am speaking from an Army perspective (dated), who assumed all DOD was doing the same thing. The focus is supposed to be on the perpetrators not the potential victims, and how to prevent being a victim; the latter is the old school idea and it does not work. Someone missed the boat.

Response by MSgt Keith Hebert made May 14 at 2015 11:33 PM

MSgt Keith Hebert — Thu, 14 May 2015 23:33:37 -0400

I have to agree with MAJ Carl Ballinger this a double edged sword.
I would not even know how to even start to help but I do agree with what the airman was saying

Response by Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS made May 15 at 2015 8:03 AM

Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS — Fri, 15 May 2015 08:03:23 -0400

Honestly I get the anger.

I use this phrase way too often. "The vast majority" of us are professionals. The Vast majority of us don't need this training at all, let alone periodically, regardless of what that period is.

If you need to be told that Sexual Assault, Abuse, Harassment, is wrong, Unacceptable, etc, you're just a bad human being, and no amount of "training" is going to fix that.

Now, I get that the definitions evolve, and people might need a quick refresher. I get that people may need to be trained on what "professional work environment" means, but that is an overarching concept above and beyond any of the Sexual X programs.

The issue as I see it, is we are effectively punishing everyone for the actions of a few, which we can't stop anyways. No amount of training is going to fix this issue. You can't fix rape. You can't fix sexual assault. You "might" be able to adjust sexual harassment statistics, though I personally think drawing attention to it is doing just as much harm as good.

Response by LCDR Private RallyPoint Member made May 15 at 2015 8:41 AM

LCDR Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 15 May 2015 08:41:45 -0400

I wouldn't mind if this training was yearly and focused on contact information, reporting constructs, and facts, but that hasn't been my experience. In 2012, between the trainings held for senior leadership, junior officers, and all-hands, I had 12 SAPR briefs - roughly 90 minutes each - in a 9 week period. The SARC made it very clear each time that every man was a potential rapist, and every woman was a saint. If you want someone to tune you out and be disgusted with the mere sight of you, that's the way to do it.

Response by CH (CPT) Heather Davis made May 15 at 2015 8:56 AM

CH (CPT) Heather Davis — Fri, 15 May 2015 08:56:35 -0400

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/navy/tailhook/91.html

Tailhook '91 In Brief | The Navy Blues | FRONTLINE | PBS

FRONTLINE investigates the accusations of criminality and corruption that have surrounded Vladimir Putin’s reign in Russia.

Response by CH (CPT) Heather Davis made May 15 at 2015 8:59 AM

CH (CPT) Heather Davis — Fri, 15 May 2015 08:59:00 -0400

http://rt.com/usa/hagel-military-pentagon-sexual-964/

Pentagon releases terrifying statistics of sexual assaults in the military

The Pentagon admitted this week upon the completion of a soon-to-be released Defense Department study that sexual assaults within the United States military are on the rise.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made May 15 at 2015 9:25 AM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 15 May 2015 09:25:13 -0400

I can see her point of view. I have had experience with this of a sort. My dad was accused of sexual assault because he was a supervisor at work. He worked at a machinists shop - very loud, to the point where you had to stand next to the person & yell to have a conversation if you were instructing someone on how to use a new piece of machinery.

There was a female who was just hired, and was not doing well. He was hesitant because she brought with her a reputation of filing harassment charges against supervisors at previous employers - none of which were validated. It just so happened that he had to instruct her on a new machine & had to stand close to her & yell the instructions on how to operate it. She never got the hang of it & he did not certify her on that piece of equipment.

3 days later my dad was called to the boss' office & told that he was fired because the female had filed sexual harassment charges on him. No investigation, no nothing, just "you're fired". The reasoning being that they (the shop) couldn't afford to go through a lawsuit.

I have seen the way female police officers are treated around male officers. There is hesitation & apprehension. "Will I do something that will be perceived as harassing to her without me even knowing about it?" It is the same now in the military. The overbearing presence of this program is forcing segregation - out of fear.

Here is where I mirror a lot of others on this post: This issue could've been avoided if the damn crime would've been pursued when it happened, instead of sweeping it under the rug!

I think it will take pushback from females to get the balance of the program restored. Not just pushback that the program is overbearing, but that THE CRIME MUST BE PUNISHED!!!! That is the crux of it. Get it to a non-biased segment - JAG, OSI, etc - & let the crime (if found to be true) be punished!

Response by SFC Michael Hasbun made May 15 at 2015 3:07 PM

SFC Michael Hasbun — Fri, 15 May 2015 15:07:19 -0400

I'd say she nailed it completely... We can't fix this issue by instilling fear, paranoia and an "us vs them" mentality...