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The U.S. Army’s Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention program, or SHARP, should be one of the Army’s greatest assets when it comes to addressing sexual assault in the ranks. But a recent report from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) found that this program isn’t working as well as it could be—and that's a problem for both victims of sexual assault and for military commanders who want to take action against perpetrators.
Here are some reasons why: The military’s sharp program is not working. It's time for the military to improve its SHARP program.
The military needs to do more to support victims of sexual assault and hold perpetrators accountable, but it also needs to do more preventative work.
One way to accomplish this would be by implementing a zero-tolerance policy for sexual assault in the military—no one can be excused from a crime under any circumstances. Similarly, there should be no statute of limitations on cases involving rape or sexual assault; all offenses must be treated equally under the law regardless of when they occurred or what happened after them (if someone were assaulted as an adult, charges could still be brought against their attacker).
Finally, our judicial system should take into account how difficult it can be for victims who have been traumatized by such experiences when determining punishments and sentencing options (for example: allowing judges some leeway in considering mitigating factors like PTSD symptoms in making their decisions).
Unfortunately, sexual assault survivors are not getting the care they need.
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Proficient in: Army Sharp
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Sexual assault is a serious issue in the military, and it's been occurring since before it was even an official branch of the armed forces. During World War I alone, over 200 thousand women were raped by their fellow soldiers; this number is only based on those who came forward with their stories.
Sexual assault survivors deserve to receive adequate care after being hurt by someone else; however, this isn't always what happens when someone reports being assaulted. In fact, some people have been punished for trying to help other victims or reporting their own assaults.
The problem with sexual assault in any environment or community is that it can be hard for anyone involved—even bystanders—to know how they should respond when they see something happening (especially if they're not familiar with proper protocol).
Career service members are not being replaced with qualified civilians. Let's say you're a career service member. You've spent the last 10 years of your life serving in the Army and have been deployed on multiple occasions. You now want to make the jump from military service to civilian life, but you've found out that you'll be required to pay back your full pension if you leave before 20 years of service.
Why? Because there aren't enough qualified civilians available to fill positions as they open up. This means that people like myself—who are qualified for these jobs—are being denied opportunities because of this policy, which ultimately hurts both sides: It deprives us of new skills and experience while hurting our country's ability to complete its missions by not having a strong civilian workforce behind us.
There is not enough help for victims to get counseling and legal assistance. There is not enough help for victims to get counseling and legal assistance. If you are worried about the same thing happening to you, tell a trusted friend or teacher. You can also call either 1-800-656-HOPE or 800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255). These hotlines are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every day of the year.
If you have been sexually assaulted and want to report it, contact your local police station or sheriff's office immediately after the incident occurred by calling 911 on your cell phone (if this is an emergency) where help will be dispatched to your area right away with an officer who has been trained in dealing with sexual assault cases!
Military commanders have too much control over the reporting process. Let's look at a few examples of how commanders have too much control over the reporting process. Commanders have the authority to decide whether or not to prosecute criminal cases. If a soldier reports a crime, and their commander decides not to prosecute that crime, then it can't be reported again at any other level of command. In addition, commanders are able to transfer soldiers out of their unit—even if they have committed no offense—to another unit where they can't report sexual harassment or sexual assault. There is also no guarantee that these transfers will occur in an expedient manner (remember military bureaucracy), which means that victims often wait weeks or months before being transferred away from their perpetrator(s).
Further still: Commanders are able to promote individuals who have been accused by multiple people in order for them not lose rank during their court martial proceedings; this practice has led some activists against sexual harassment and assault within our armed forces call "command promotions." The other issue here is that promotions are based on performance evaluations given by one's superiors; there may therefore be incentives for those superiors not only promoting but also protecting those accused by subordinates.
The program needs to be improved. The Army's Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention Program (SHARP) is broken. It needs to be improved, more effective, and more efficient.
It also needs to be more accessible to all soldiers who need it—not just the ones who are lucky enough to have a supervisor or commander who cares about their wellbeing enough to push them through the system for fear of retaliation from higher-ups if they don't accomplish their mission; but also the ones who struggle with mental health issues or a traumatic past that might prevent them from seeking help on their own.
To sum up, the Army's Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention Program needs to be improved.
Why Is Sharp Not Working In The Army. (2022, Dec 08). Retrieved from https://studymoose.com/why-is-sharp-not-working-in-the-army-essay
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