The Army's Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention (SHARP) Program is the Army's integrated, proactive effort to end sexual harassment and sexual assault within their ranks. Sexual harassment and sexual assault have no place in the Army. If you have been the victim of sexual harassment or sexual assault, you have a voice, you have rights, and SHARP is here to help.

Active Duty Soldiers, Army National Guard, Army Reserve members, and their adult dependents who are over the age of 18 are eligible for treatment in the military health system are eligible for service. For Victims under the age of 18 check out the Family Advocacy fact sheet.

Sexual Harassment means any of the following:

• Conduct that—

  • involves unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and deliberate or repeated offensive comments or gestures of a sexual nature when—

    • submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of a person’s job, pay or career

    • submission to or rejection of such conduct by a person is used as a basis for career or employment decisions affecting that person; or

    • such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s work performance or creates an intimidating, hostile or offensive working environment; and

  • is so severe or pervasive that a reasonable person would perceive, and the victim does perceive, the environment as hostile or offensive

• Any use or condonation, by any person in a supervisory or command position, of any form of sexual behavior to control, influence or affect the career, pay or job of a member of the armed forces or a civilian employee of the Department of Defense.

• Any deliberate or repeated unwelcome verbal comment or gesture of a sexual nature by any member of the armed forces or Civilian employee of the Department of Defense.

For military personnel, the working environment pertains 24/7, on or off post, and on or off duty.

The Army provides formal, informal and anonymous complaint process options for complainants. The SHARP Program is responsible for the Army's sexual harassment prevention efforts. The Army Equal Employment Opportunity Office provides assistance to Civilian employee complainants and SHARP personnel are responsible for military sexual harassment complaints.

Sexual Assault is defined as intentional sexual contact characterized by the use of force, threats, intimidation, or abuse of authority or when the victim does not or cannot consent. The term includes a broad category of sexual offenses consisting of the following specific UCMJ offenses: rape, sexual assault, aggravated sexual contact, abusive sexual contact, forcible sodomy (forced oral or anal sex), or attempts to commit these offenses.

The Army’s SHARP Program:

• Permeates the Army structure from the Pentagon down to the individual soldier level

• Has full-time staff at the brigade level and higher

• Promotes cultural change across the Army, with a vision toward a culture of discipline and respect in which soldiers intervene in sexual harassment and sexual assault to protect one another

• Includes a comprehensive effort to educate leaders and soldiers about sexual harassment and sexual assault

• Employs a concrete training program that teaches soldiers to be alert to serial offender tactics, to intervene to stop incidents and disrupt offenders, and where and how to seek help

• Provides commanders with the essential resources, education, and training they need to succeed in bringing an end to sexual harassment and sexual assault in the Army.

We have certified Sexual Assault Response Coordinators (SARCs) and Victim Advocates (VAs) available 24/7 to help with reporting, provide victim advocacy and support prevention, training, and awareness efforts.

The Army has instituted two reporting options for reporting sexual assault: Restricted and Unrestricted Reporting. An unrestricted report will prompt an official investigation. A restricted report will not prompt an official investigation unless the victim discloses the information to the commander. In that case, the report will remain restricted, but an independent investigation will be initiated.

Filing a Restricted Report MUST be done in writing on DD2910 (Victim Reporting Preference Statement) with a SARC or a VA and signed. When you file a restricted report with a SARC or a VA, you may be referred to the following resources with your permission:

• Medical treatment
• Sexual assault forensic exam
• Counseling
• Chaplain services
• Special victim counsel
• Legal advocacy
• Victim advocacy

You may change a restricted report to an unrestricted report anytime.

Victims are eligible to file Restricted Reports even if:

1. They disclosed the sexual assault incident to their commander or to personnel in the chain of command, or
2. There is an ongoing Military Criminal Investigative Organizations (MCIO) investigation into the sexual assault incident initiated by a third party and not due to the victim’s disclosure to law enforcement, or
3. The MICO investigation into the sexual assault incident has been CLOSED.

Victims may elect to make a Restricted Report of sexual assault at any time, EXCEPT in cases where the victim:

• Personally reported the incident to law enforcement (including CID); or
• Previously filed an Unrestricted Report with a signed DD Form 2910 (the Victim Reporting Preference Statement) for the same sexual assault

Filing a Unrestricted Report MUST be done in writing on DD2910 (Victim Reporting Preference Statement) with a SARC or a VA and signed. You can file an unrestricted report to a SARC, VA, law enforcement official, commander or health care personnel. When you file an unrestricted report, you are eligible for:

• Medical treatment
• Sexual assault forensic exam
• Counseling
• Chaplain services
• Special victim counsel
• Legal advocacy
• Victim advocacy
• Command support/intervention
• Official investigation

When you file an unrestricted report, you can request protective and support measures such as an expedited transfer or military protective order.

You cannot change an unrestricted report to a restricted report.

Recognizing and Reporting Retaliation for an Unrestricted Report of Sexual Assault

Retaliation may consist of the following acts:

• Reprisal
• Ostracism
• Maltreatment, including cruelty and oppression

Report Retaliation to the following:

• Brigade SARC
• Installation IG
• Army Criminal Investigation Division (CID)
• Military Equal Opportunity Office (MEO)
• DoD IG Hotline: 800-424-9098
• DoD Safe Helpline: 877-995-5247

For more information on retaliation reporting options visit https://www.safehelpline.org/experiencing-retaliation-after-sexual-assault

If you need help now:
Call the Safe Helpline: 877-995-5247  
Unable to call toll-free: 202-540-5962
Text: 55-247 (inside the U.S.)
Text: 202-470-5546 (outside the U.S.)

For more information about SHARP, visit https://www.armyresilience.army.mil/SHARP/index.html

Family Advocacy Program: The Family Advocacy Program manages sexual assault reports when the alleged offender is from current or former intimate/marital relationship or have a child in common with the victims, AND victims who are military dependents who are 17 years of age or younger.

Catch a Serial Offender (CATCH): The Catch a Serial Offender (CATCH) is not only available for people who filed a Restricted Report. Victims may participate in the CATCH program if the:

• Victim made a Restricted Report to a SARC or SAPR VA, or
• Victim made an Unrestricted Report, but the name of the suspect is not yet known to law enforcement, or
• Victims have decided not to make a report to military law enforcement, a SARC, or a SAPR VA at this time.

For more information on the CATCH program see the DoD CATCH Program Victim Info Sheet.

Army’s Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention (SHARP) Program:
https://www.armyresilience.army.mil/SHARP/index.html

Department of Defense Sexual Prevention and Response Office Page:
https://www.sapr.mil/index.php

Catch a Serial Offender (CATCH) Program:
https://www.sapr.mil/catch

Army MWR Sexual Harassment/Assault Response and Prevention Program (SHARP) page:
https://www.armymwr.com/programs-and-services/resources/SHARP