Email   Print   Share By Pfc. Brian Labombard, 13th ESC Public Affairs

Facebook Digg Delicious July 19, 2012 | News

Gen. Raymond T. Odierno, Army Chief of Staff, speaks at the 2012 Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention Conference in Leesburg, Va., May 8. Spc. Joel LeMaistre

While Soldiers at the 13th Sustainment Command (Expeditionary) are busy supplying and sustaining Soldiers across Fort Hood and Afghanistan, they are also working tirelessly to prevent sexual harassment and sexual assault.

The Army's Sexual Harassment/Assault Response & Prevention program is part of a new spearhead offensive against such attacks within the military. With one of the most diverse workforces on the planet, the Army has developed a new program to prevent and protect Soldiers from sexual assault and harassment.

Sgt. 1st. Class Angela Reese, in her 22nd year of service, is the noncommissioned officer-in-charge of the 13th ESC G-1, and the senior SHARP representative is educating Soldiers across the 13th ESC about the SHARP program.

“The overall goal of the program is to ensure that all victims of sexual harassment and sexual assault are protected, treated with dignity and respect and provided support, advocacy and care,” Reese said. “Offenders will be held accountable for any SHARP offenses.

“Before the SHARP initiative, Equal Opportunity advisors would handle sexual harassment cases,” she added. “Starting in September, the brigade Sexual Assault Response Coordinators will handle those cases as well as sexual assault cases.”

Reese said the Army has noticed that most sexual assaults start off as harassment. “It may start as something small, like an inappropriate note or a derogatory term, and then escalate to an assault case.”

If a Soldier sees someone that could potentially be a victim or witnesses something that is out of line with the Army Values or their own morals, it is their duty to intervene and speak up for their fellow Soldiers.

“It starts with something as simple as a derogatory term – even if someone in the room is laughing, there is at least one person that will take offense to what was said,” Reese said.

Soldiers that witness any form of sexual harassment should speak up and follow the Army’s Intervene, Act and Motivate campaign to combat and prevent sexual assaults before they happen, said Reese.

“If you see someone that could be a potential victim, or hear a conversation that is inappropriate, it is your duty to speak up and stop that behavior before it can become a potential sexual assault,” she said.

Since the start of the SHARP program, the number of reported sexual assaults has risen, indicating that Soldiers are more comfortable talking to the SARCs, Reese said.

“There are two reporting options for the victims – restricted and unrestricted. Restricted reports do not result with an investigation, allowing the accused offender to walk free. However, unrestricted reports will involve a Criminal Investigation Command investigation,” Reese said.

More information about the Army’s SHARP program may be found online at www.sexualassault.army.mil/index.cfm.