Sexual Harassment Assault Response Prevention (SHARP)

Your options

Sexual assault and sexual harassment are not the same, although they are related to each other.

SHARP Definitions and Reporting Options for Sexual Harassment & Sexual Assault

 Sexual harassment is defined as:

• Conduct that involves unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and deliberate or repeated offensive comments or gestures of a sexual nature when -
• Submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of a person’s job, pay, or career; or
• Submission to or rejection of such conduct by a person is used as a basis for   career or employment decisions affecting that person; or
• Such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s work performance or creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive working environment; and
• Is so severe or pervasive that a reasonable person would perceive, and the victim does perceive, the environment as hostile or offensive. Unwelcomed sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, verbal comments, and physical conduct of a sexual nature where submission to or rejection of them can impact or interfere with someone’s job, pay, or career.

Two types of sexual harassment:

 

 Quid Pro Quo:

Refers to conditions placed on a person's career or terms of employment in return for sexual favors.

 

Hostile Environment:

Sexual Harassment occurs when a person is subjected to offensive, crude, unwanted, and unsolicited comments, and behavior of a sexual nature that interferes with that person's performance or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive working environment.

 

Reporting Options for Sexual Harassment:

In order to stop sexual harassment, the aggrieved is encouraged to make an informal sexual harassment complaint. Report the inappropriate behavior to your chain of command or through your SHARP representative. If you are a civilian, report the behavior immediately to your supervisor, or to the Equal Employment Opportunity office.

Individuals may also elect to file an anonymous complaint of sexual harassment. Individuals may contact the 8A 24/7 SHARP Hotline to file an anonymous complaint. An anonymous complaint is a complaint received by a commanding officer or supervisor, regardless of the means of transmission, from an unknown or unidentified source, alleging sexual harassment. The individual is not required to divulge any personally identifiable information.

 

If the behavior persists, file a formal sexual harassment complaint through your brigade SHARP representative. If you are a civilian, report the incident to your Equal Employment Opportunity office.

 

Sexual Assault is defined as:

Sexual assault is a criminal offense that is punishable under the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) and other federal and local civilian laws. Army Regulation 600-20 defines sexual assault as "intentional sexual contact, characterized by the use of force, physical threat or abuse of authority or when the victim does not or cannot consent.

 

In the event of a Sexual Assault:

• Get to a safe place. If you are in need of urgent medical attention, call DSN 911 on post or Commercial 031-690-7911.  If you are not injured, you may still need medical assistance to protect your health. Brian D. Allgood Army Community Hospital on Camp Humphreys can offer you immediate medical assistance.
• Contact your local SHARP representative or call the 8A Sexual Assault Hotline at DSN: 158 or 315-763-5700 or Commercial: 050-3363-5700.
• To protect evidence, do not shower, brush your teeth, put on make-up, eat, or drink, or change clothes until advised to do so. You, or your SHARP representative may report the crime to Army or local law enforcement.

 

Victims of sexual assault are encouraged to contact law enforcement.

 

Reporting Options:

Restricted sexual assault report:
We value your privacy. Restricted reporting offers Soldiers and Family members (18 years and older) the option to report a sexual assault without having to notify law enforcement and protecting the identity of the victim. This option is only available if you report the incident to your victim advocate, medical care facility, or sexual assault response coordinator (SARC).

Unrestricted sexual assault report:
Unrestricted Reporting is the military's preferred reporting method because it provides the widest latitude to help and protect victims of sexual assault. Through the unrestricted option, details of the incident are kept confidential and are only disclosed on a need to know basis. An unrestricted report triggers an investigation so that offenders may be held accountable and the safety of the victim is ensured.

 

Entitlements (independent of the reporting option)

• Immediate Medical care
• Advocacy
• Counseling
• Pastoral care upon request
• Sexual assault forensic examination
• Special Victim Counsel

 

Entitlements to Unrestricted Reporting

• Request transfer from their unit
• Law enforcement investigation into the incident
• Military protection order
• Chain of command support