Every time I turn around there is a new memorandum coming
down from the CSA or SMA that is talking about the issues we are having in the
military with sexual assault. So the
Army’s answer is let us have another SHARP class in order to train Soldiers and
raise awareness. I am not saying that
these classes are pointless but they are definitely redudant. A basic training private gets a SHARP class
at reception, and then another class in BCT and then another class in AIT. Basically they get three classes in the first
4 months in the Army. At some point
Soldiers stop paying attention and the class goes in one ear and out the other. So what is the fix? The Hon. Chuck Hagle says
that there is an alarming rise of reported sexual assualts in the Army and that
we need to get a handle on this epidemic.
What I am curious about are we getting our statistics from. I agree that one rape is too many. But who is to say that sexual assaults statistics
are worse this year from last year? Is
it possible that reportings are going up not because the number of assualts are
going up but because the Soldiers are putting more faith in the system and
coming forward?
SHARP
Sexual Assault
Statistics
Sex
SFC Winkler,
I agree with you, the training is becoming redundant which leads to less Soldiers paying attention and not getting the actual affect of the training they are receiving. I wish there was a way to change it up so it's not the exact same training every month or change the menotiny of the training. Something a little more interesting to catch the Soldiers' attention to keep their interest. My unit does SHARP every quarter and it always seems to be the exact same class as the quarter before.
I don't feel that sexual assaults are going up, but I do feel the reporting of incidents is going up. If anything sexual assaults are going down, but now that Soldiers are more educated on the reporting process than years past, they are more confident and comfortable with reporting the incidents. I feel that they are more educated so therefore they are more trusting in the system to fix/resolve their complaints.
- Accessions. Set the bar and do not lower it even in times of low supply and high demand. Develop screening indicators for sexual predators and do not let them in the military in the first place.
- Training. Continue the current training program to educate and inform Soldiers on the expected Army culture so that all understand the standard and what right looks like.
- Discipline. Enforce standards of conduct and discipline at all levels, by all Soldiers and leaders. Fire leaders who do not enforce discipline. Fire Soldiers who fail to meet the standard of conduct.
- UCMJ. Give due process to victims and accused but, if/when convicted, administer UCMJ quickly, publicly, and harshly for all levels (i.e. in a national newspaper for a senior officer or NCO).
- Retirement. Do not let senior leaders retire in lieu of court martial. Seniors will think twice if a retirement or reduced retirement is on the table.
I am seeing a lot of women who are reporting sexual harassment. How many males have came forward? This isn't just one sided. Men are not the only who are committing these offenses. What male will report that he's been harassed and you see it in the news? All we see is women reporting, that's why I think this is bias and sexiest.
One of the goals of the SHARP Program was to increase propensity to report, since sexual assault is one of the most under reported crimes in society. Be it because of fear of reprisals, or fear of the offender and his cronies, or just because they do not think they were assaulted, or believe that it was their fault, seeing it, around 75% of those assaulted don't report.
When those new reports are from situations that happened months or years back, that tells us that propensity to report is improving and that is not a bad thing.
When you have an illness, you want to discover it and take care of it.
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