Photo By Alexandra Shea | Col. Tara Hall, Moncrief Army Health Clinic commander, signs the 2022 Sexual Assault...... read more read more
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April in South Carolina is a time to get out and enjoy the mild weather before summer’s heat and humidity sets in. While enjoying all the Palmetto State has to offer, a reminder to recognize sexual harassment or assault and intervening should be a priority.
That’s why April is designated as Sexual Assault Awareness and Prevention Month, or more commonly called SAAPM.
“I like this year’s theme, ‘Prevention starts with you,’” said Malissa S. Welch, Fort Jackson’s Sexual Harassment and Assault Response and Prevention program manager. “It’s not just the leadership and SHARP personnel’s responsibility, it really does start with you.”
“We bring our military and civilian community together to focus on awareness of sexual assault and prevention,” said Yolanda Brown, Fort Jackson’s lead Sexual Assault Response Coordinator. “We have a month of awareness and prevention activities across the installation in support of the month.”
The month kicked off with the signing of a proclamation to reaffirm leadership’s commitment to prevent, and ultimately end, sexual harassment and assault within the Army.
Brig. Gen. Patrick R. Michaelis, U.S. Army Training Center and Fort Jackson commanding general, and senior leaders from assigned and tenant units across the installation also signed the proclamation to help end harassment and assault.
Though April is the month that highlights identifying, preventing and intervening in situations where harassment or assault is occurring, Welch said the program is each Soldier and civilian’s responsibility year round.
“Prevention, education and awareness should be things we look towards year round,” Brown said. “Establishing, addressing and changing cultural behaviors is something leadership and commanders should focus on every day.”
“How do we continue what we have been doing in the month of April?” Brown asked. “How do we look past April and continue to put SHARP and prevention efforts in the forefront?”
One way the program has expanded is the implementation of the Soldiers Against Sexual Harassment program. SASH is a peer-to-peer intervention program. Implemented in November 2021, trainees enter a week-long program where they learn how to identify sexual harassment and assault. These forms of abuse are not always clear cut and can ride in the gray zone between blatant right and wrong.
“You can teach a toddler the difference between right and wrong,” Welch said. “But what about the little things that you don’t think as much about? The little things can become more egregious actions.”
Since the program began, additional units such as the Soldier Support Institute and the Moncreif Army Health Clinic have begun implementing the program as well.
“We are hearing out in the brigades right now that numbers are declining,” Welch said. “Initially, it looks like SASH is having an impact.”
Despite the time of year, learning how to identify, prevent and act on sexual harassment and assault is available year round to Soldiers and civilians through the SHARP office as well as SHARP representatives throughout the installation.
Help for those experiencing harassment or who have been assaulted is available 24/7 through those personnel or through the many available resources such as calling the 24-7 Sexual Assault Response Hotline at (803) 543-3085 or the Safe Helpline at (877) 995-5247.
Smart phone applications such as WeCare, Fort Jackson are also available for free download for iOS and Android devices that helps put SHARP resources and immediate help into the hands of victims and victim advocates instantly.
“We all have to do our due diligence to meet the standard to respect individuals in and outside of the workplace within the community,” Welch said. “It should be a way of life, to have the knowhow and tools to know what to do and empower us when something doesn’t look or feel right.”
To learn more about events supporting SAAPM, Soldiers and civilians should contact their chain of command. For more information about SHARP and available resources across the installation, visit home.army.mil/jackson/index.php/my-fort/all-services/sharp.
| Date Taken: | 03.29.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 03.30.2022 11:58 |
| Story ID: | 417476 |
| Location: | FORT JACKSON, SOUTH CAROLINA, US |
| Web Views: | 142 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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