In 2012, the Stuttgart Criminal Investigation Division conducted 14 sexual assault investigations. Regardless of the outcome, that is 14 too many.
To address this problem, U.S. Army Europe has ordered a Ready and Resilient Stand Down Day April 3 with an emphasis on Sexual Harassment and Assault Reporting and Prevention.
Based on USAREUR guidance, the objectives of the stand down are to prevent further assaults, improve health and discipline of the force, enhance awareness and utilization of available SHARP resources and promote immediate intervention to prevent sexual assaults.
U.S. Army Garrison Stuttgart will host several events in support of the stand down, which will be open to all community members.
The purpose of the stand down is to allow everyone to halt operations and focus on the issues associated with sexual harassment and assault, according to Sgt. 1st Class Jonathan Trussell, USAG Stuttgart Equal Opportunity Advisor.
“This is a major issue within our ranks, and we need to change the culture of how sexual assault is perceived,” Trussell said.
The stand down will be packed with events, centered on screenings of the Oscar-nominated documentary “The Invisible War,” which highlights the issue of military sexual assault from the perspective of the victims. Immediately following the screenings, viewers can engage in a panel discussion with local subject matter experts ranging from military police to family advocacy representatives.
A community information fair will also be offered throughout the stand down at Army Community Service on Panzer Kaserne.The fair will feature booths from local agencies involved with the reporting of sexual harassment and assaults and victim support.
Another theme of the stand down is women’s empowerment. In support, the garrison is also offering women’s self-defense classes at the Patch, Kelley and Panzer fitness centers.
For additional information, contact your unit’s SHARP advisor, or call 430-7945/civ. 0711-680-7945.