ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND, Maryland (Feb. 5, 2015) -- The Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG) Sexual Harassment/Assault Response & Prevention (SHARP) Resource Center located on the second floor of the Janet M. Barr Soldier Center- opened its doors on Jan. 2, 2015. The resource center, available to both military and civilians, is designed to handle restricted and unrestricted cases of sexual assault and sexual harassment.
Under the guidance of Maj. Gen. Bruce T. Crawford, APG Senior Commander and Commanding General of Communications-Electronics Command (CECOM), and led by the Installation's SHARP Program Manager Tracy Marshall, the resource center is a new asset to be utilized in the fight against sexual assault and harassment.
"The idea, like other resource centers, is to create a 'one-stop-shop' where APG military and civilian community members can go for consolidated SHARP support and treatment," said Marshall.
The center on APG is supported by staff including: a Judge Advocate General (JAG) officer, a Criminal Investigations Command (CID) agent, a medical expert, a Sexual Assault Response Coordinator (SARC), a victim advocate, and Marshall, the program manager.
According to Marshall, the center is one of 12 in the entire Army that have implemented this concept. The initiative started in Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, and has since received the full support of the Chief of Staff of the Army.
Marshall emphasized that this resource center has qualities that set it apart from the rest.
"Here at APG, we have a unique location where we can provide services to more diverse communities than just to our military here on the installation," she said. "We've also established partnerships with local ROTC [Reserve Officer Training Corps] programs as well as local National Guard and Army Reserve units to give them support as well."
Many of these organizations do not have organic SHARP professionals, so the APG SHARP Resource Center is in a position to reach out to other communities.
"In the past, a victim would have to go to multiple locations for services," said Marshall. "That made it difficult for victims to feel safe and secure about the process so they wouldn't come forward and report their incidents."
Besides providing victim support, the resource center offers SHARP training for leadership to better equip them with implementation of SHARP programs in their respective organizations. Marshall noted that the recent Bystander Intervention training has been a great way to inform leaders and subordinates on ways to stop incidents before they start by recognizing the various warning signs in everyday interactions.
SHARP continues to be the Army's number one priority, and installations such as APG are finding innovative methods to help better support victims and improve on efficiencies.
"In the end, we are the blueprint of the nation," said Marshall, in reference to the Army. "We have to set the example by making a culture change so victims have faith in the system. Before, no one wanted to come forward, but now that the leadership has been engaging in SHARP and supporting resource centers, we are seeing record numbers of people reporting their incidents. Everything we do in the Army is about the people. This resource center will be a shining example of that."
For help or further information, contact the APG SHARP Hotline at 410-322-7154.
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