Sharp Training Against Sexual Harrasment In The Army

The purpose of this essay is to addressed why do cases of sexual harassment and sexual assault continue to take place in the Army, despite all the training and education that take place. Soldiers often becomes complacent, irresponsible and undisciplined when they find themselves in a relax environment. Army Regulation 600-20 defined “Sexual Harassment as a form of gender discrimination that involves unwelcome sexual advances , requests for sexual favors and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature between the same or opposite genders.”(1) and “Sexual Assault is a crime defined as intentional sexual conduct, characterized by use of force, physical threat or abuse of authority or when the victim does not or cannot consent.” (1)

Soldiers often becomes complacent when they are in a low work tempo or in an environment involving alcohol. Research state that both Sexual Harassment and Sexual Assault often takes place in a relax environment or during an event involving alcohol. Valerie Stander PhD and Cynthia Thomsen PhD conducted research and discovered that both cases often takes place at work. “Research on sexual harassment has emphasized contextual factors within workplace environments.”(2) Complacency among peers promotes misread signs or sense comfort that leads to unrealized harassment towards each other. “Sexual cases from 2016 to 2018 statistic within the military states that “more that 85% of victims knew their assailant and alcohol was involved in 62% of the total assaults.” (3) Although The Army have Sexual Harassment Assault Response Prevention (SHARP) program and continue to enforce it, Sexual cases will be unpredictable due to these factors. Soldiers becomes irresponsible once impaired with alcohol.

Soldiers that are impaired with alcohol are likely to become Irresponsible. Soldiers then loosen the ability to perform critical thinking. Most preparatory usually does not think of the consequences of their action. Lieutenant Colonel Elizabeth Robbins wrote an article and posted through The Washington Post. She stated that “It has been known for years that alcohol abuse is a dominant factor in most military sexual assault cases.” (4) Soldiers that becomes irresponsible also develops many other characteristics. These characteristics are often reckless, rash, careless and ultimately undisciplined.

Soldiers that are undisciplined shows uncontrolled actions. They often do not care that they are being insolent, offensive and ill-mannered. They also do not understand the importance of trust within the unit, cohesiveness and often forget or does not care for the ARMY Values. Soldiers with these aspects typically do not think thoroughly of their action can lead to Sexual Harassment or Sexual Assault. Soldiers that lacks the ARMY Values are likely the preparatory. Although Soldiers are expected to live by the ARMY Values, there will be an inconvenient cases that soldiers do not live up to it.

In conclusion, Sexual Harassment and Sexual Assault will continue to take place in the Army when Soldier members becomes Complacent, Irresponsible and Undisciplined despite of all the training and education that is provided. Soldiers will become complacent in a low work tempo or in an environment that involves alcohol. These two situation will promote irresponsible actions and undisciplined behaviors and often lead to Sexual Harassment and or Sexual Cases. As a future leader, We must be able to see and adapt the hurdles that are on front of us. We must instill the importance of the ARMY Values to every members of the Army despite of their ranks, gender, beliefs and positions.