Why do SHARP cases keep increasing in the Army?

2021-07-09T06:17:01-04:00

Response by SSG Carlos Madden made Jul 9 at 2021 9:53 AM

2021-07-09T09:53:28-04:00

Culture. Lack of leadership.
https://www.npr.org/2021/07/02/ [login to see] /a-commission-finds-quite-a-lot-of-tolerance-for-sexual-harassment-in-the-military

A Commission Finds 'Quite A Lot Of Tolerance' For Sexual Harassment In The Military

A new report says commanders need training to learn how to stop what an official described as "daily acts of demeaning language and sexual harassment" in the military.

Response by SPC Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 9 at 2021 11:36 AM

2021-07-09T11:36:32-04:00

It's an interesting question with as many answers as there are boots.

One is that more Soldiers are starting to trust the reporting system. The downside to this is that it means the cases were always high they just went unreported or were swept to save the careers of certain Soldiers some with rank.

Another is that the cases are increasing due to a variety of factors such as background, poor leadership, and learned or allowed culture.

Response by SGM Bill Frazer made Jul 9 at 2021 1:15 PM

2021-07-09T13:15:50-04:00

Are the cases increasing, or are more people becoming aware and also reporting more?

Response by CSM Christopher Irwin made Jul 9 at 2021 2:18 PM

2021-07-09T14:18:23-04:00

Consider first that every accusation must be run to ground and investigated thoroughly but TRUE sexual harassment/assault is very hard to prove unless you have pictures, electronic proof (emails, Facebook, etc.), physical evidence, or eye-witness testimony. In my opinion, its one of the most difficult of offenses to prove (especially of the harassment variety). Add to this that harassment to you may be very different from other Soldiers on your left and right. This by itself significantly hinders a command teams interpretation of what is and isn't a legitimate SHARP issue. What results is a deep dive on EVERY allegation which is time consuming and exhausting...rightfully so. In an effort to show their fight to protect their Soldiers, commands often do a poor job in keeping the investigation under wraps. Let's face it, people see the investigative goings-on through interviews, the obvious different treatment of alleged offenders, and the unavoidable gossip that ensues. As a result, SHARP cases appear to be on the rise.

I'll say what no one else will however. While SHARP is an important and necessary program, the execution in the past 10-20 years has drastically changed. In the past, the alleged offender held a presumption of innocence until 15-6 investigations were completed and results were provided.

As SHARP has moved forward in recent years, due to the notoriety of some very big (proven cases), the presumption of innocence, while still technically there, requires separation of NCOs from leadership positions (riding a desk or working in a staff section), flagging (no favorable actions), and immediate counseling of the alleged offender. This is primarily due to the optics a command can face if they don't take these steps. Sexual Harassment/Assaults are no laughing matter and legitimate cases should be dealt with swiftly and without remorse. As an example (albeit long), it's hard to prove PTSD...thus the VA sides with anyone who claims to have it because there is always the potential that one person had it and it wasn't diagnosed; especially if there is a resultant suicide. Some years ago (mid to late part of the 2010s) a COL was relieved as a psyche doctor because he wasn't afraid to call B.S. on a Soldier's PTSD claims...When the Soldier later committed suicide for whatever reason he did, it was assumed to be the COL's fault because it was documented that the Soldier said he had PTSD. No one wants to be the CDR/CSM/CO CDR/1SG to say a SHARP complaint isn't real and deal with to results of being wrong.

Speaking as a retired CSM, I had so many erroneous reports that it appeared the system was working. This is largely because one day an NCO was there, the next not.

Most Soldiers neither understand the seriousness of an allegation like this nor the procedural steps required to conduct the required 15-6. As a result of the Army's intent to leave NO Soldier behind and no allegation ignored, it's steadily becoming more of a false accusation to take light off some Soldiers' individual action. Another example: A Soldier drinks underage, breaks curfew in Korea, and is caught by the MPs. An accusation that their squad leader/platoon sergeant, etc. sexually harassed them thus causing their misbehavior, takes immediate light off of the Soldier and throws it headlong on the accused NCO. Often times, by the time the 15-6 is complete and the NCO is exonerated nothing is done to the Soldier regarding either their original offense or there accusation. This is largely because with REAL facts, it is equally difficult to say the Soldier WASN'T accosted as it is to prove they were.

Now, before the barracks lawyers and Kool-Aid drinking leadership jump on my comments as fake news....I'm NOT saying SHARP complaints aren't warranted because experience has shown us there are jackass leaders and even fellow Soldiers that will not hesitate to sexually harass others. Furthermore, I'm not advocating that the SHARP program is designed to "keep a good Soldier down cuz da man don't care and don't want to listen". I'm just trying to provide you some insight into a different view.

Response by A1C Chris Pointer made Jul 9 at 2021 2:51 PM

2021-07-09T14:51:32-04:00

Cause sexual assault continues to Helen

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 9 at 2021 3:42 PM

2021-07-09T15:42:19-04:00

I find it is two-fold ... on one hand I think there is a major lack of leadership willing to stop the crap and hold all levels accountable and on the other, more people are reporting it now then prior.

I think this has been an ongoing issue for a long time. However, people are just now starting to understand that it all needs to be reported and leaders need to take it seriously. We have failed to enforce the standards and we as leaders have failed to develop a culture that would discourage these issues from happening.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 10 at 2021 7:37 PM

2021-07-10T19:37:24-04:00

No one knows for sure - it could be either more people are feeling comfortable reporting OR there's more sexual assaults. Considering that this issue has been poorly handled for generations in the military, I don't think we'll ever know for sure. It's hard to know when most people don't report sexual assaults how many we've truly had occur in the military.

So it's either people feel safer reporting, there's more incidents or both. We just don't know.

Response by Lt Col Timothy Cassidy-Curtis made Jul 10 at 2021 9:48 PM

2021-07-10T21:48:45-04:00

I once asked a three-star General the following: "Ma'am, personnel who are selected as Commander might have had Sexual Harassment in their records. And yet, that person was selected to become a Commander. How?"

She had no answer. She went on to become a four-star.

Response by SMSgt Bob Wilson made Jul 11 at 2021 3:21 PM

2021-07-11T15:21:58-04:00

More people are aware of the program, are taking actions and want to end sexual assaults. Now, the cynical person in me says it another way to get revenge.