![]() ![]() Now military leaders and victims can build trust and transparency, further strengthening the culture the Army is trying to foster. The soldiers could not put absolute trust in their leadership without worrying they would be giving up their freedom to choose their reporting options in the process. Previously, the regulation further victimized the Soldier by forcing an internal quandary. Previously, if a victim would disclose information about a sexual assault to a leader, the Soldier would be forced to undergo a Criminal Investigation Division investigation, potentially prolonging the healing process and creating more stressors.Ī goal of the SHARP program is to give power back to the victim, including the right to choose how they want to proceed in the aftermath of an incident. However, it helps build a foundation for transparency and trust. To those outside of military leadership positions, this change may seem minor. Victims could now confide in the chain of command about a sexual assault without being forced to file an unrestricted report. Of the six SHARP remediations implemented in 2021, one of the most pivotal changes was updating the Department of Defense Instruction (DODI) 6495.02: Sexual Assault Prevention and Response’s procedures. The Fort Hood Review and Regulation Changes Vanessa Guillen’s impact and her family’s perseverance led to an Army-wide review of the SHARP program, changes in DOD policy, and eventually, changes in public law. Her family proposed the Vanessa Guillen Act, a law that would reform the way the military handles sexual harassment and assault. Vanessa Guillen’s family founded the IAmVanessGuillen foundation, an organization committed to reforming military policies surrounding Soldier protection. Authorities ultimately concluded that a fellow Soldier had murdered her, though it was also determined that her killer had not been the one sexually harassing her. After her disappearance and a nationwide search, law enforcement discovered Guillen’s remains near the Leon River in Bell County, Texas. Before her disappearance, she confided in her family members that she was being sexually harassed by one of her supervisors, though no action was ever taken. Guillen was a 20-year-old Soldier serving at Fort Hood when, one day after work at the armory, she went missing. Vanessa Guillen sparked outrage throughout the country, prompting senior military leaders and elected officials to finally get serious about sexual harassment in the military. Victims of Sexual Assault can confide in their Chain of Command without relinquishing their reporting options.The Army is considering implementing a SHARP Military Occupational Specialty (MOS).Independent parties will investigate cases of sexual harassment.Sexual harassment is now a punishable offense under UCMJ.With the Army’s “People First” initiative, these changes are helping to protect those who protect our country. ![]() Combining elements of the Vanessa Guillen Act, Department of Defense regulations, and the NDAA 22, the Army’s Sexual Harassment Assault Response Prevention (SHARP) program is transforming from top to bottom. Though daunting and laden with legal jargon, the 910-page National Defense Authorization Act of Fiscal Year 2022 (NDAA 22) will enact necessary change. With Executive Order 14062 signed, the commonsense reform for sexual harassment and assault under the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) is finally underway. Now soldiers guilty of sexual harassment could face having handcuffs put on their wrists instead of receiving the imaginary, painless “slap” that most never got anyway. But the concerns behind this mindset have finally been addressed. “Why would I say anything? All they’ll get is a slap on the wrist.” This question once exemplified the mindset of countless soldiers who chose not to report incidents of sexual harassment.
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