Links

Thursday, September 23, 2021

DoD moves to attack sexual assault

A DoD press release lays out a roadmap for dealing with military sexual assaults. See Terri Moon Cronk, Hicks Outlines Strategy to Thwart Sexual Assault in Military. DoD News, September 22, 2021. [Link to SecDef memorandum.] The roadmap lays out 

foundational investments to support sexual assault accountability, prevention programs, healthy command climates and quality victim care. 
. . . 
​"[Tier 1] consists of the most important elements in preventing sexual assault and sexual harassment and holding offenders accountable," Hicks said. "The preponderance of initiatives and resources are focused in our first tier. For instance, it contains three of our highest-priority recommendations, including the establishment of the offices of special-victim prosecutors, the creation of a full-time and specialized prevention workforce, and the implementation of full-time sexual assault response coordinators and sexual assault prevention and response victim advocate positions."

A cross-post with CAAFlog.

Note: the 2027 is not a typo. Also, ""Full implementation of the first tier must be completed by 2027; implementation of the full slate must be accomplished by 2030, according to the plan."

2 comments:

  1. The phrase "festina lente" comes to mind.

    ReplyDelete
  2. This has every appearance of an effort to prove that SecDef is doing something. The idea that the program presented will continue for nearly a decade thru changes of leadership and administrations is bizarre. Especially so for an effort that has more moving parts than an F-35.

    The problem OSD has dealing with this issue is using criminal statutes to deal with a cultural issue. Now that the lawyers have taken a shot at it (new species evolve faster than this program plays out), suggest is time to bring in folks like I/O psychologists and the experts at DEOMI to work on the real problem underlying sexual assault, that of sexism.

    In the '70s, Navy found itself dealing with racial issues culminating in actual race riots in two aircraft carriers. The solution followed was to train facilitators on racial issues and convene workshops Navy-wide presenting a well-thought-out program called Understanding Personal Worth And Racial Dignity — UPWARD. Five half-day sessions for officers and chiefs all mixed in together. Small; perhaps ten persons in each group. From which confrontation and change, racism disappearing from the Navy's overt culture. Yes, Navy evolved with the outside society. But it also took inside steps to speed up that process.

    There is a direct parallel between racism and sexism. In addition to orders to follow orders — no more rape, etc. — perhaps it's time to deal with sexism's cultural foundations.

    ReplyDelete

Comments are subject to moderation and must be submitted under your real name. Anonymous comments will not be posted (even though the form seems to permit them).