Do you believe there is false SHARP reporting in our military? If so, what impact do you think it has on the force?

SPC Brady Allen — Sat, 24 Jun 2017 06:35:51 -0400

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 24 at 2017 9:37 AM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 24 Jun 2017 09:37:02 -0400

are you implying that false reporting sharp incidents are a systemic issue?

Response by SPC Jan Allbright, M.Sc., R.S. made Jun 24 at 2017 10:18 AM

SPC Jan Allbright, M.Sc., R.S. — Sat, 24 Jun 2017 10:18:33 -0400

Please define "ever-changing"
I worked with a lady airborne troopie that was deployed to Iraq. She told me that she and all the other ladies in her unit had to keep their M9 with them on trips to the latrine to keep advances at bay.
I think stating something like "false S.H.A.R.P reporting" without a shred of substantiation is questionable at best.

Response by CPT Jack Durish made Jun 24 at 2017 10:18 AM

CPT Jack Durish — Sat, 24 Jun 2017 10:18:49 -0400

This is quite possibly one of the most "loaded" questions I've seen posted on RP. Forgive me for demurring. I'll just stand on the sidelines and watch this show play out.

Response by COL Charles Williams made Jun 24 at 2017 10:55 AM

COL Charles Williams — Sat, 24 Jun 2017 10:55:51 -0400

SPC Brady Allen No I do not.

I have been involved (was) with sexual assaults for over 33 years, and the truth is until recently victims generally rarely reported sexual assaults. I was on the team that created SHARP from the previous programs, which were not working; We were losing this fight. We knew when we changed everything, reporting would increase, which could indicate to some assaults were increase, not just reporting. This has long been an issue, we need to eradicate in our ranks.

At the same time, the idea of false reporting, while it does occur, is also largely a myth in terms of frequency and percentage of allegations. Most studies show false reporting at between 2 and 10%.

So, no I do not believe this is ruining our military. If someone makes a false report, we prosecute them, plain and simple.

We must do everything we can to protect our brothers and sisters, and unfortunately, false allegations and reporting are part and parcel to all justice and investigative systems.

The real questions SPC Brady Allen are how do we eliminate sexual assaults and false reporting.

http://www.mncasa.org/stop-administrators-project-false-reporting

The Truth about False Allegations | MN Coalition Against Sexual Assault

Sexual assault programs: get training and networking to end sexual violence and promote justice for victims and survivors at MNCASA.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 24 at 2017 6:04 PM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Sat, 24 Jun 2017 18:04:35 -0400

I absolutely believe there is false reporting. Without a doubt. But I do agree with COL Charles Williams that it is likely a small percentage of overall reports. I don't know that those reports have any overall impact on the culture in the Air Force.

Response by MCPO Roger Collins made Jun 24 at 2017 6:48 PM

MCPO Roger Collins — Sat, 24 Jun 2017 18:48:02 -0400

http://m.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/may/12/false-reports-outpace-sex-assaults-in-the-military/

False reports outpace sex assaults in the military

False complaints of sexual abuse in the military are rising at a faster rate than overall reports of sexual assault, a trend that could harm combat readiness, analysts say.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 13 at 2017 2:55 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 13 Jul 2017 14:55:17 -0400

There seems to be confusion about the terms "substantiated" and "unsubstantiated" reports.

If CID or the police rule a report substantiated it means they have enough evidence to press forward with and recommend charges. Unsubstantiated means there isn't enough evidence to move forward.

You get 72 hours at most before physical evidence in a sexual assault or rape is gone or degraded. When most people don't report for days or weeks or months, the case falls apart legally. That doesn't mean it didn't happen.

In 2013, the first time my ex husband hit me, I waited ONE day to call the police. One. I arranged to talk to an officer a few days later when she could talk and I could talk to her. She took my statement and swore he would be arrested that weekend. Nope. When they went to talk to him he told a completely opposite bs story. It turned into he said/she said. They had no physical evidence as it happened in a hotel room and I left as soon as he passed out. So it got cleaned and all that. For two months they tried to get him to take a polygraph. I knew he would never admit it. He didn't. I told the detective I was dropping the protection order and I didn't want to cooperate anymore because it seemed no one believed me. They had to reassign the female officer because she was meeting him off duty and talking to him about the case and telling him she didn't believe he did it.

That's what happens with sexual assaults or rapes if there's no physical evidence. A lot of it turns into he said/she said.

Until you're a SARC or VA and you have to tell someone why the person who harmed them isn't going to get punished and see that heartbreak and more in their face, you have no idea what it's like.

Response by Christy Robison made Dec 1 at 2017 5:17 PM

Christy Robison — Fri, 01 Dec 2017 17:17:45 -0500

Having close contact with someone who has been falsely accused and dealing with the aftermath of the entire situation, I firmly believe that false reporting is on the rise. It is a tragedy that sexual assault went unreported and unpunished for such a long period of time but I'm afraid the pendulum has swung too far to the opposite side. If you are a soldier falsely accused, you are quite frankly viewed as guilty until proven innocent and even if you are eventually exonerated, the truth is your career is over and your life changed forever.

Response by SSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Nov 2 at 2018 9:05 PM

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Fri, 02 Nov 2018 21:05:24 -0400

I have a friend who was accused of 3 counts of sexual assualt in the military by two seperate women for the same night time and location, both women gave two completely diffrent acounts of the accusation and contradicted eachother on every part. further one lied about ever having consumed alcohol before and being in a ongoing relationship with him in the court martial and in AF IMT 1168's. Further to that in the court martial they also got caught manipulating evidence while being fed information from the prosecutors and had to plead the fifth on the stand to keep from being prosecuted and the attorney loosing his bar. He was found completely innocent of one female and innocent and guilty agaisnt the other. the charges were all article 120. he was found innocent of digital penatration of one female and guilty of penile penatration of the same female. Her testimony was she never actually saw the person she was accusing, it was a dark uniluminated room and she was facing the wall on the bed were the other female was in the middle of the bed and he was on the opposite end. She further stated that she was laying on her side wearing his clothes that both took from his dryer prior to entering into his room were he was sleeping and crawling into bed with him instead of the guest bedroom, she further stated that at no time was there any force appilied against her in anyway nor did he lean against her or get on top of her, she then stated that he pulled her pants down only one her left side to her mid thight and penatrated her with his penis after asking if she wanted it and she shook her head no in a dark uniluminated room and then he asked again What? and she shook her head no again but made no verbal or moved in any way. She said all of this occured and her legs remained closed the entire time stacked on top of eachother and never moved from this position...Also she stated in the courtmatrtial that when he digitally penetrated her, "she didnt think much of it and just hoped he wouldnt do it again"..
All you lawyers out there explain to me how that is physically possible to have happen along with how is that a proper response to have with someone you claim is touching you against your permission. Then explain to me how false claims arent true. because he served time in federal prison for that and is still going through appeals awaiting an answer.

Response by 2LT Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 2 at 2021 8:00 PM

2LT Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 02 Feb 2021 20:00:21 -0500

I do believe it.

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 3 at 2021 8:43 AM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 03 Feb 2021 08:43:32 -0500

If anything, I believe under-reporting is a growing problem

Response by Deborah Press made Oct 6 at 2022 2:57 AM

Deborah Press — Thu, 06 Oct 2022 02:57:27 -0400

Touching someone is sexual assault
The punishment is he is going to lose everything job future family got jail because sharp wants to keep there quota the punishment is not justified