The U.S. Naval Academy started a program last year called Sexual Harassment, Assault Prevention and Education to teach midshipmen about the consequences of sexual crimes and improve gender relations. Midshipman 1st Class Joy Dewey, 22, of Sacramento, Calif., led the program through its inception and recently was honored for her work by the Maryland Coalition Against Sexual Assault.
The academy bills the program as midshipmen leading other midshipmen. Is that effective?
We want them to be an example to their peers, and our curriculum trains you in how you are going to lead in the fleet. When it comes to sexual harassment and assault, you don?t want to let that happen on your ship.
What kind of changes are you seeing?
The midshipmen are more receptive to the training. To apply leadership skills and show how to change the cultural environment is better than just stating the definitions. … They like the idea of taking it away from being so factual … and [showing how] it?s not about you, it?s those around you.
How do you measure the program?s success?
We had 32 trainers this year, and over 100 people wanted to become trainers for the next session.
Given the few high-profile allegations of sexual crimes at the academy, will this program help address the issue?
There are a handful of individuals with problems, and that is reflective of society as a whole. … Cultural change takes a long time. The first step is awareness. … They hear the everyday terms and see the billboards that are affecting the rape culture, and as soon as they realize it, it?s like a switch that comes on and that we hope becomes a ripple effect.
