Support, advocacy and care should never be out of reach. For Soldiers within the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and the Army Civilians and Families associated with them, professionals within the Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention program are committed to ensuring individuals can access the resources they need, regardless of location or circumstance.
Through collaboration, victim-centered care and the Army’s “No Wrong Door” approach, survivors are connected with services that promote safety, recovery and resilience.
In one recent case, a USACE team coordinated with another installation’s SHARP office after a report involving both sexual assault and sexual harassment in a location without immediate USACE support personnel on site. Within two hours, a Victim Advocate was present on site with the victim while virtual coordination continued between SHARP professionals, command teams and investigators.
“We do not fit the traditional installation model,” said Miranda N. Raines, SHARP Director for USACE. “Our employees are across the United States and overseas in places like Japan, Korea, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. The ability to coordinate with sister services and nearby installations ensures there is always someone available to support a victim as quickly as possible.” That coordination is driven by the Army’s “No Wrong Door” approach within the SHARP program.
At its core, the “No Wrong Door” approach creates a supportive environment where victims are met with understanding and assistance—never told “You are at the wrong office” and never left to navigate the system alone. This approach ensures individuals can connect with SHARP support services regardless of location, command structure or installation footprint. For globally dispersed organizations like USACE, that coordination can be the difference between delayed support and immediate care.
Without enterprise-wide coordination, officials estimated the response could have taken 24 to 72 hours due to travel requirements and staffing limitations.
“That coordination made all the difference,” Raines said. “The victim had someone physically there with them almost immediately.”
The response also underscored how collaboration among SHARP professionals, commanders and investigators can streamline care while maintaining accountability. Coordination among lead Sexual Assault Response Coordinators, Victim Advocates and sexual harassment investigating officers ensured support services and investigative actions moved forward simultaneously.
SHARP professionals emphasize that many Soldiers and Army Civilians may not fully understand the range of support available through the program. Victims can receive confidential support, referrals and advocacy services without immediately committing to an Unrestricted Report.
“A lot of people think that if they walk into a SHARP office, they automatically have to file a report, and that is not true,” Raines said. “Individuals can ask questions, talk through options hypothetically and receive support before deciding what they want to do.”
The program also works closely with legal, medical, mental health and chaplain services to ensure victims have access to comprehensive care.
The Army "No Wrong Door" approach directly supports readiness by reducing barriers to care and ensuring Soldiers and Army Civilians can access resources wherever missions take them.
“When people know support is available and they trust their leaders and SHARP professionals, they are more likely to seek help early,” Raines said. “That keeps people connected to the mission and prevents issues from growing larger over time.”
The Army has expanded collaboration across commands and installations in recent years to improve consistency throughout the SHARP enterprise. That effort has reduced gaps between organizations and improved communication between lead SARCs and Victim Advocates across the force.
“There should be consistency across the program regardless of location,” Raines said. “The structure and foundation should be the same everywhere, even if local resources and environments differ.”
The message to Soldiers, Army Civilians and Families remains simple: Reach out for help.
“We always start with yes,” Raines said. “We may have to figure out how to get support to someone, but we are going to do everything possible to make sure they receive the care and resources they need.”
Raines said enterprise-wide collaboration has strengthened the Army’s ability to deliver services across commands and locations.
“There was a time when programs operated very differently depending on where you were,”
Raines said. “Now there is more consistency, more communication and more shared understanding across the enterprise.”
She added that collaboration allows SHARP professionals to share best practices and improve response capabilities across the force.
“We should not have to reinvent the wheel every time,” Raines said. “If something works in one location, we should be able to share those resources and lessons learned to better support people everywhere. The continued focus on coordination, consistency and victim-centered care strengthens not only individuals, but overall readiness across the force.”
For more information on SHARP resources, visit the DoD Safe Helpline, installation directories, or download the We Care USACE app.
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