FORT EUSTIS, Va. –
In fiscal year 2011, the Department of Defense received reports of 3,393 victims of sexual assault. Of those, 2,198 victims were junior enlisted Service members between grades E-1 and E-4. Worse, the DoD estimates as many at 17,000 additional victims who did not report assault.
Most alarming, sexual assaults have increased annually over the past five years, a trend the U.S. Army is determined to stop.
"There are few things that I believe are more inconsistent with our Army values than this," Army Chief of Staff Raymond Odierno said of sexual assault. "Our Army faces many threats and risks. But these specific threats emanate from within our own corps. They have a corrosive effect on our unit readiness, team cohesion, command environment, and trust of Soldiers and family members. We must make every single effort to take care of and protect each other. That's what we do, that's who we are."
The Army's Sexual Harassment and Assault Response Prevention, or SHARP, Program is the service's focal point for supporting victims of sexual harassment and assault. The professionals of the Fort Eustis SHARP office are encouraging victims to step out of the darkness and get the help they deserve.
Master Sgt. Kevin Parker serves as the mission commander for Eustis' SHARP Program, assisted by two victim advocates, Megan Alpert and Christina Code. Additionally, each brigade on post is equipped with two full-time SHARP representatives. At the battalion level, each unit maintains two of their own SHARP representatives.
The duties of these victim advocates include acting as a liaison between victims and investigative agencies or legal teams, accompanying victims to appointments related to the assault, weekly check-in appointments, and referrals to outside agencies.
"Our major priority as victim advocates is to make sure that the person in question is treated as a person and is given the best possible care at all levels," said Alpert. "We care deeply for the victims and survivors that we work with, and encourage an environment of inclusion, acceptance, and empowerment."
In the case of sexual assault, victim advocates at all levels work to first and foremost ensure the rights of victim and survivors of sexual assault are preserved. This often comes in the form of maintaining the victim's right to choose what type of report they want to file: unrestricted or restricted.
Restricted reporting does not involve the survivor's chain of command or law enforcement. A restricted report allows the survivor access to all necessary services, including medical care, counseling, and advocacy, without the possible stress of an immediate investigation.
Unrestricted reporting involves an investigation, with necessary information provided to the victim's command. This type of report grants access to resources not available in restricted reporting, such as military protective orders, non-contact orders, transfers, and more.
"We wish for all victims and survivors of sexual violence to come forward and make any kind of report so that no person is left to handle the mental, physical, and spiritual burden of trauma on their own," Alpert said.
Stopping sexual assault and harassment is not the sole responsibility of the victim. Everyone around, whether involved in the situation or merely a bystander, can make a difference.
Preventative measures include intervening when witnessing person(s) making lewd comments or gestures, making sexually objectifying statements about others, pressuring others to do things they may not otherwise do, and attempting to isolating another person.
SHARP representatives encourage everyone to "act upon any feeling that something you are seeing or hearing is not right, and motivate others to do the same." These are the tenants of the Army's I. A.M. Strong campaign to eradicate sexual violence. While the SHARP Program office is open weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., the team operates a 24/7 helpline, available at (757) 268-8967. The helpline is not operated solely as a reporting tool, as it be utilized by anyone experiencing a crisis or those "who just need to talk,"
according to Alpert.
"No one should have to handle something like this alone. Experiencing sexual violence can be pervasive, disruptive, and traumatic. A lot of the feelings, or lack thereof, a victim or survivor may feel can be not only confusing but harmful on their own," said Parker. "My only hope is that survivors will have the courage to reach out and let me hold their hand - literally or figuratively -- and tell them that, truly, it's not their fault because sexual violence is never the fault of the victim, but of the offender and the surrounding people who allowed this to happen."
Sgt. 1st Class Terrea Evans-Jones, the SHARP representative for the 7th Sustainment Brigade, echoed Odierno's push to help those who need it most, restoring cohesion within the Army.
"Working with victims and survivors in this capacity is the first time I have felt like I affect a multitude of people. In doing this job, I want to put the trust back into the leadership and back into the ranks as a whole," she said. "The bottom line? I want to help people."
Editor's Note: This article was corrected to omit an innacurate quote regarding the interpretation of Article 120 of the Uniform Code of Militay Justice. For more information, contact the Office of the Command Judge Advocate at (757) 878-4720