Sexual harassment and assault rates are on the rise within The Army. Despite five years of The Sexual Harassment Assault Response Program (SHARP) being in effect and yearly revisions, the numbers continue to go in the wrong direction. The Army holds itself to a higher standard than civilian organizations, yet we see higher rates of sexual assault and harassment than the national average (Statistics-n.d.). That does not account for Army statistics looking within the last five years and limiting most statistics to specific age groups, while national numbers include a lifetime. These numbers alone have led many, including sitting United States senators, to criticize the effectiveness of Army programs such as SHARP. If the numbers are swinging the wrong way, then the program has failed its objective. Yet that is not the entire story, nor does it accurately reflect the changes within The Army that have brought us to where we are today.
The Army Values are the core experience all Soldiers strive to achieve and maintain throughout their careers. Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Selfless Service, Honor, Integrity, and Personal Courage (Army Values 2019, October 19). These tenants are the basis for all Soldiers who wish to succeed in Army life. They are the backbone of the United States Army and are a personal challenge to everyone who wishes to serve. Living up to these values ensures you become your best as a Soldier and, later, as a civilian. Striving to be your best and pushing those around you to do the same creates an environment of strong individuals banding together and an environment of personal dignity and respect within The Army. Yet seemingly, in the face of these values, we have rising rates of sexual assault and harassment. An act condemned by The Army, which leverages one’s own standard of these values against the victim’s sense of Loyalty. These actions single-highhandedly can destroy a Soldier’s belief in the foundation of our leadership and purpose. Acts like this can shake a Soldier’s commitment or create an environment where they are unable to give The Army their best regarding these very same tenants.
The SHARP program openly states, “The degradation of your core values.” In response, The Army’s SHARP program has attempted to mitigate these actions and create a channel for reporting and punishing actions that fall into this category. To create a culture within The Army where victims are not afraid to stand. Soldiers will stand with you and may entice those who witness and act to act themselves. Prioritizing intervention at all levels of leadership to defeat the enemy within ourselves. The cancer that hides behind the uniform. A stain on the integrity and beauty of The United States Army. SHARP attempts to create a system and culture simultaneously to ensure that assault and harassment are dealt with and prevented before it can occur. We can ensure that leadership is trained and knowledgeable on the subject to properly handle situations that happen and to counsel before anything can. SHARP has started a process and created channels for victims, as well as ensuring leadership remains ready and prepared for all possibilities.
SHARP starts by reminding Soldiers that they are not alone. Reinforcing the brotherhood and relying on each other for intervention and mitigation. “Intervene, Act, and Motivate” is where the policy begins, but far from its reach. By enacting policy and rule changes from the top and focusing on inclusion, The Army asks its Soldier to reach outside of their squad and protect each other as equals. SHARP defines sexual assault and harassment as clearly as possible with such a topic for quick and understandable access to all Soldiers. Knowing what you are looking for can make it more apparent when you see it. SHARP has streamlined reporting, created full-time positions for monitoring, and is squarely rested on reporting and Soldiers helping each other in unison with their core values.
When Soldiers have each other’s backs, these kinds of acts are easier to see and stop before they can happen. By appealing to each Soldier’s sense of Army Values, we can ensure that no one of us feels above those same values – taking advantage of a Soldier’s faith is a betrayal of The Army itself. Yet with training, SHARP aims to teach Soldiers the warning signs of a serial assaulter. Knowing what to look for in a situation can help every Soldier identify when an act may happen. Urging each Soldier to act in those situations adds a layer of personal responsibility to your fellow Soldiers and protection – both on and off the field of battle. Yet there is not always a way to prevent it. When actions like this occur, SHARP has put in place a clear and serious means of reporting to ensure that policy can help to correct when violations do happen. In addition, SHARP hopes to help mitigate fear or repercussions that may come from reporting these actions. By creating a chain of command for reporting and response, the fear of retaliation or disbelief can be mitigated at least slightly. Rank gives power but comes with responsibility. A betrayal of that rank is just as much a betrayal of The Army as a whole. By establishing both restricted and unrestricted reporting outlets, The Army gives Soldiers a choice about how they wish to proceed with their assault.
We still see increasing assault numbers within our ranks every year. Despite the Army’s best intentions, it appears to be doing little to no good. Every year, SHARP is restructured with feedback and modified to better serve the Soldiers it protects, and every year we see more and more reports of sexual assault. There are two possible conclusions to draw from this truth: Either SHARP has correctly created the start of a change within Army culture, which is reflected in higher numbers of reports every year as Soldiers become more comfortable reporting to superiors – Or The Army has failed in its mission to prevent and stop sexual assault within its ranks. You cannot deny the steps that have been taken or The Army’s continued resolve against sexual assault and harassment (Media & Events n.d.). However, the results are still inconclusive. Whether this is a result of faulty policy or is, in fact, the beginning of what will become an eventual decline in assault rates is unknowable now because there is not enough data to support either conclusion yet. However, that does not mean that there are not still steps to be taken. With all of this in mind, The Army has made its stance on the issue clear. Zero Tolerance is the law and the key to success moving forward.
