Employees of the Fort Knox Garrison will have the opportunity to experience a unique form of Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention training with an escape room starting in January 2022.

FORT KNOX, Ky. – Soldiers and civilians working at Fort Knox now have an unconventional and interactive training tool aimed at eliminating instances of sexual misconduct in the workplace.

Sexual assault response coordinator Ella Foley developed an escape room dedicated to teaching the fundamentals of the Army’s Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention Program.

“The Garrison SHARP escape room challenge is an interactive and innovative training that reinforces critical SHARP knowledge and skills,” said Foley. “It encourages people to have open, healthy dialogues, as well as the opportunity to connect and work together as a team for a common cause.”

Each year Soldiers and civilian employees at Fort Knox undergo training on the importance of SHARP and how to prevent and report sexual harassment and assault. Foley said this year, she wanted to do things differently.

“This is not your usual slideshow presentation,” said Foley. “In that type of training, the facilitators do most of the talking. With this, everyone works together as a team to complete the activities.

“It creates unity.”

Garrison Commander Col. Lance O’Bryan and Command Sgt. Maj. William Fogle both attended the ribbon cutting for the escape room Jan. 10, with the first team scheduled to attempt getting through the 14 stations Jan. 12. Fogle said he felt the design was very impactful.

Garrison Commander Col. Lance O’Bryan and Command Sgt. Maj. William Fogle participate in the ribbon cutting at the Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention escape room on Jan. 11, 2022.

“It’s very creative; very outside of the box,” said Fogle. “I like the activities. I think it will be educational.”

O’Bryan and Fogle, along with several other installation leaders, toured the escape room and went through the activities, which include a word search, crossword and other puzzles. Fogle said having the interactive training this year has potential for greater success.

“Together we can set conditions to address or eliminate the destructive behaviors that lead to sexual harassment and sexual assault,” said Fogle. “This makes me extremely happy because it takes everybody on this entire installation to get this issue out of our footprint.”

Garrison Commander Col. Lance O’Bryan and Command Sgt. Maj. William Fogle, along with other installation leaders, watch an opening video before touring the Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention escape room on Jan. 11, 2022.

Foley said the escape room idea grew out of some of her prior work.

“I’ve done the same kind of concept, but on a very small scale,” said Foley. “I didn’t have all of the resources that I have today.”

According to Foley, the layout was specifically constructed in such a way that it has the most effect.

“What is good about this is that it’s an experiential training, which means you experience something, you will remember it,” said Foley. “That’s why I wanted to have this type of training this year.”

Sexual assault response coordinator Ella Foley demonstrates to garrison leadership one of the activities participants in the 2022 Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention escape room will be exposed to during training.

Over the course of the next several weeks, at least 10 teams from around the garrison will go through the escape room. Foley said she hopes not only will it teach participants all the aspects of SHARP, but also provide something even more important.

“If I’m someone who has had an issue, now having gone through the escape room with my team, I might have the courage to talk to my supervisor about what’s happening,” said Foley. “It empowers everyone and helps them feel supported.”