Soldiers, civilians lift ‘weight of the world’ in unique SHARP training
By Margaret Steele
Fort Belvoir Public Affairs
With a ‘weight of the world’ ruck march, Soldiers and civilians from Fort Belvoir were able to participate in SHARP training, without needing to view an on-screen presentation.
Staff Sgt. Latissue Pittman-Hutton, a Belvoir Headquarters Battalion Soldier and Sexual Assault Response Coordinator, coordinated the event. She said participants added sand bags and kettle bells, as they traveled to SHARP-related info stations.
“It symbolized how the weight of sexual assault and harassment on one person in a unit affects everyone in the unit,” she said, adding she’d put the idea in her ‘tool box’ after she’d heard of it from an operations sergeant at Joint Base Lewis-McChord (Wash.)
“I think everyone learned and appreciated the novelty of the training and now have more of an understanding of what sexual harassment and assault does to our people and units,” she said. “Even if it doesn’t directly happen to them, the team needs to know the impact, so they can make sure every victim is taken care of and gets the help they need.
“The event, in itself, opened up peoples’ eyes, as to how far-reaching incidents of sexual assault and harassment truly are,” Pittman-Hutton said.
“Esprit de corps is so important for unit cohesiveness. This event strengthened the bonds that exist already, among us,” Pittman-Hutton said. “Plus, this showed that sexual assault and harassment can happen to anyone I work with, or work for. It also let us know that, as a team, we can carry the load of sexual harassment by working together.”
At the different stations, the briefings showed the difference between restricted and unrestricted sexual assault reporting procedures; and provided victim-resource information.
In restricted reporting, a survivor gets immediate, mostly medical and spiritual, support, but there’s no investigation. Unrestricted reporting involves command support and is a more formal process.
Battalion’s Command Sgt. Maj. Michel Fraser said, after the ruck march, “Everyone thought it was very informative, in this format, and seemed to get something out of it, both individually and as part of a team.” She estimated about 40 people participated.
“The whole process, in terms of medical, legal and spiritual help, was shown through the training,” Fraser said. The training wrapped up SAAPM, or Sexual Assault and Awareness Prevention Month, which is April.
Chinita Reid-Latson, lead sexual assault response coordinator for the Sexual Harassment/Assault Response & Prevention Resource Center; said participation was bigger than she expected and included civilians. “Once I pushed out the event, we had personnel from Logistics Readiness Center reach out and participate.”
SHARP resources
Fort Belvoir SHARP Hotline: 703-740-7029
Facebook @ Fort Belvoir SHARP
DoD Safe Helpline: 877-995-5247
Chat with the helpline through online.safehelpline.org; discuss through safehelproom.org.
All Safe Helpline services are anonymous, confidential and tailored to support Service members and their families affected by sexual assault.
| Date Taken: | 05.04.2022 |
| Date Posted: | 05.04.2022 14:27 |
| Story ID: | 419941 |
| Location: | FORT BELVOIR , VIRGINIA, US |
| Web Views: | 57 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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