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  • Essay / Steps to Improve the Effectiveness of the Sharp Program

    Sexual assault and sexual harassment are two issues that the military periodically addresses. Sexual harassment can be defined as “behavior that involves unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and deliberate or repeated offensive comments or gestures.” Sexual assault is defined as “intentional sexual contact characterized by the use of force, threats, intimidation, or abuse of authority or where the victim does not or cannot consent.” The Sexual Harassment and Assault Response and Prevention Program (SHARP) was implemented to prevent these incidents from occurring. Essentially, sexual harassment and assault cannot be one hundred percent prevented, but better training and education on the subject could reduce the number of cases over time. It is crucial to ensure that soldiers understand the consequences of their actions if they are committed and the effect they could have on their lives. For the SHARP program to improve in the army at all levels; he must find and implement new ways to reach soldiers, ensure that senior leaders set a good example and build trust with their subordinates, and take the time to properly handle ongoing cases. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay In my unit, the SHARP program could be more effective through the presentation of information. During quarterly briefings, Soldiers are typically crowded into a room where they can chat, with minimal interaction. The SHARP representatives will have a PowerPoint filled with lots of information, but when you look around, the soldiers are forced to stay awake and don't remember what they are told. You won't be able to reach every soldier, but there must be ways to get their attention. For example, if there were video interviews with victims telling their stories and how the incident affected them, it is possible that the soldiers would sympathize with the victim and no longer want to make anyone feel that way. If there were video interviews of the accusers and the consequences they faced, soldiers could understand the seriousness of committing these types of acts. Not only would the talks help keep the soldiers' attention, but they would also allow defenders to come and talk to their subordinates. Concrete examples could relay the right information, allow soldiers to think among themselves and interact with someone who has had a tragic experience. Additionally, sending the unit's soldiers to attend courts-martial would be very effective; they would see the evidence and the process in place for how the military handles these situations. Another measure that could improve the effectiveness of the SHARP program within the unit is to have more than one SHARP representative within the battalion's batteries and companies. When soldiers experience traumatic situations like these, it is very unlikely that they will feel comfortable approaching the designated representative with whom they likely have not had much interaction. If team leaders, squad leaders, platoon sergeants, and first sergeants are allowed to complete the appropriate SHARP training to become representatives, it is possible that Soldiers will be more open because they share personal information with someone they know. According to the Army Times, "the increase in sexual assaults is concentrated in the middle..