Resource center synchronizes SHARP efforts

CAMP ARIFJAN, KUWAIT

11.19.2014

Story by Sgt. William White 

U.S. Army Central   

CAMP ARIFJAN, Kuwait – U.S. Army Central is consolidating its efforts to combat and end sexual harassment and sexual assault with the implementation of the Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention Resource Center. The center, recently opened at Camp Arifjan, empowers U.S. Army Central SHARP leaders and Soldiers to end sexual harassment/assault and give victims another resource for reporting and finding help.

“The resource center is part of a larger chief of staff of the Army pilot initiative that is designed to synchronize the advocacy services available to victims of sexual assault, as well as those seeking services for sexual harassment complaints,” said Capt. Jacqueline Murray-Bonno, who heads the resource center at Camp Arifjan.

The SHARP resource center pilot program was formally implemented in September 2014 with 12 installations selected to participate. Among the sites are Fort Bragg, Fort Hood and Fort Leonard Wood, with Camp Arifjan, Kuwait, being the only site outside of the continental U.S.

Murray-Bonno is corresponding with a handful of other experts at Camp Arifjan to get the resource center functioning with all its assets by January 2015. Medical and behavioral health personnel, the criminal investigative department and other SHARP resources at Camp Arifjan will synchronize efforts with the full implementation of the resource center.

As a result, SHARP advisers, sexual assault response coordinators and victim advocates will be connected with the most up-to-date information on reporting and prevention.

“The main goal is to cut down on the hassle that victims have to go through in obtaining serves in the aftermath of an assault,” said Murray-Bonno. “Victims can sometimes feel re-victimized when having to obtain services on their own. The resource center’s function is to ensure quality control in the coordination in those services.”

The SHARP Resource Center is now also responsible for training and educating sexual assault response coordinators, victim advocates and SHARP advisers, Murray-Bonno said. It will function to supplement the Army’s SHARP training and education program by coordinating quarterly classes for current SHARPs and certification classes for new ones.

The Army recently moved to allowing officer and noncommissioned officers to train and advise SHARP representatives in place of a mostly civilian-led mobile training team that previously trained SHARP leaders. Senior noncommissioned officers held the first class at Camp Arifjan in November 2014 which graduated 31 Soldiers and one civilian.

“With our background experience as victim’s advocates, we are able to train our own Soldiers which is cost effective for the Army,” said Sgt. 1st Class Dontavious Seales, 1st Theater Sustainment Command SHARP trainer and lead SARC. “We come from a military background which allows us to personalize the training for a Soldier and that’s the best way for them to learn.”

Seales is one of 46 instructors Army-wide currently qualified to teach the 80-hour SHARP course. He is currently certifying unit SHARP representatives from around the 20-country Army Central area of responsibility. He believes that training plays the biggest role in the effort to eliminate sexual harassment and sexual assault.

“We’re leaning forward on education and partnering with local universities around military installations. Our goal is to educate our Soldiers and family members and reduce or eliminate sexual harassment and sexual assault.”

Army Central is committed to enhancing the force by ensuring that Soldiers, civilian employees and Family members live and work in an environment free of sexual harassment and sexual assault. Army Central’s SHARP policy indicates that all service members and Department of Defense civilian will conduct SHARP training annually and commanders are responsible for ensuring service members understand the Army Central SHARP policy and Army Regulation 600-20.

Those seeking to utilize or find more information on the resource center can contact Murray-Bonno by email at [e-mail] or at DSN 318-430-3454. The resource center provides a 24/7 reporting hotline at DSN 318-430-7477.

• Date Taken: 11.19.2014
• Date Posted: 11.26.2014 06:16
• Story ID: 148880
• Location: CAMP ARIFJAN, KW