Prevention is the key

Photo By Chung Il Kim | Kelly Ristow, an educator from Catharsis Production, talks with Soldiers on June 16 at the post theater on Camp Humphreys in the Republic of Korea. Ristow tried to make the training about sexual assault and harrassment training as interactive as she could.  

PYEONGTAEK, 41, SOUTH KOREA

06.30.2015

Story by Chung Il Kim 

2nd Combat Aviation Brigade

CAMP HUMPHREYS, South Korea – In the Camp Humphreys theater, Soldiers shouted out sexually vulgar words to the speaker in the front. He quickly wrote the obscene words on a white board. The guest speaker was Phillip Sheridan, an educator from Catharsis Production. He was there to talk to the Soldiers about sexual harassment and assault prevention.

“Surprisingly, making a list of words that society uses to sexually describe men and women is a very effective way to prevent a sexually violent environment,” Sheridan said.

Talon Warriors from the 2nd Combat Aviation Brigade participated in the Army Sexual Harassment/ Assault Response and Prevention (SHARP) “Got Your Back” training June 16 at the Camp Humphreys Theater in South Korea.
According to Sheridan, to one’s surprise, making a list of words that society uses to describe men and women when it comes to sex is a very effective way to prevent a sexually violent environment.

The “Got Your Back” training provides an opportunity for service members to trust that they’ve got each other’s back in the daily work environment. Two speakers came from Catharsis Production, a Chicago based organization whose motto is to reduce interpersonal violence by producing innovative sexual education. The lecture went for an hour and a half, but none of the Talon Warriors seemed to lose interest.

Kelly Ristow, another educator from Catharsis Production, said, "We talk about the languages people use when they talk about sex, and the effect of that language to the action within our community."

Phillip said, "It's really easy to just look out for each other and care. Right now it's abnormal for people to say something or do something or intervene when it comes to sexually aggressive behavior. If we can get just a few more people doing something and create the norm, then the world can be a better place."

Master Sgt. Jacqueline Hill, the Sexual Assault Response Coordinator (SARC) from the 2nd CAB, was in the audience for the training and says the session will make you think and remember that everyone can get involved in ending sexual assault and harassment.

Pvt. Makaela Jensen, an aviation operation specialist from the Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 2nd CAB, said, “The first step to solving the problem is to recognize that the problem exists. By making the list of words, we all identified the issues with gender roles in the world and I believe it was very effective.”

The military is at the frontline of making things happen when it comes to preventing sexual harassment and assault. Civilians look at the Army for solutions. That is why the SHARP program is one of the Army's top priorities as directed by the secretary of defense. With displays in every building, monthly training and a frequent topic of discussion in meetings, Soldiers and Army civilians are constantly reminded about the importance of SHARP.

• Date Taken: 06.30.2015
• Date Posted: 06.30.2015 02:21
• Story ID: 168561
• Location: PYEONGTAEK, 41, KR