Optimization of Harassment Response for Service Members

General Warmup

Before we begin we will go over a few administrative ground rules. Please use the “raise hand” function if you want to speak to avoid talking over each other. If you are more comfortable putting comments in the chat, feel free to use that as well. We will not be taking a formal break during the focus group, so if you need to step away for any reason please turn off your video and mute yourself and come back on video when you are back.

Today we will be discussing harassment, to include sexual harassment. Please keep in mind that we are not asking you to provide information on or details of your own experiences with harassment, and we ask that you do not do so. Although we will not ask about individual experiences, there is a potential risk of distress, based on the subject matter, or on you or another participant disclosing experiences with harassment. In addition, it is possible that someone may feel obligated to report information discussed in the group or that someone may face retaliation or be seen negatively for speaking disapprovingly about a supervisor or others. To minimize these risks, please do not include names of individuals or supervisors or provide any information that could put you in jeopardy. You will not directly benefit from participation, but your responses will help DoD in their review of policies and procedures.

Your participation is voluntary and you can decline to answer any of the questions. In other words, you can skip any questions you do not want to answer. You may opt-out at any time. We will not be sharing your name with anyone outside this focus group. We ask that you maintain confidentiality about everything being discussed today and of the identities of other participants. Although we ask this of all participants, please note that we cannot guarantee that all participants will maintain one another’s confidentiality.

If you would not like to participate you are free to drop off of the call.

We are going to being with quick introductions around the room.

Please introduce yourself with the following

• Name

• What you would like to be called

• Current job & Unit

• How long have you been in the military

• How long with your unit

General Discussion of Harassment

We will begin with a general discussion of harassment to ensure that we are all on the same page.

1. How do you define “harassment,” broadly?

   1. PROBE: if only define sexual harassment probe on other types

2. How do you define “sexual harassment”

So that we are all clear about definitions, we have placed the DOD Instruction definitions in the chat. Please take a minute to review them.

THE HIGHLIGHTED TEXT TO BE PUT IN THE CHAT: Harassment: behavior that is unwelcome or offensive to a reasonable person, whether oral, written, or physical, that creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive environment. It may include offensive jokes, epithets, ridicule or mockery, insults or put-downs, displays of offensive objects or imagery, stereotyping, intimidating acts, veiled threats of violence, threatening or provoking remarks, racial or other slurs, derogatory remarks about a person’s accent, or displays of racially offensive symbols. Types of harassment include, but are not limited to, discriminatory harassment, sexual harassment, hazing, bullying, and stalking.¹

Sexual harassment: behavior that involves unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and deliberate or repeated offensive comments or gestures of a sexual nature that create an environment that a reasonable person would perceive, and the victim does perceive, as hostile or offensive.²

Are there any questions about the definitions?

3. How prevalent would you say harassment is in your career field? What about the unit are currently in? [Reminder of size of unit]

   1. PROBE: how does this vary by types of harassment?

Response to Harassment

Now that we have discussed general definitions of harassment we are interested in understanding your perspectives on how harassment complaints are handled in your unit. If you choose to share an anecdote or experience, please do not use the names of any individuals.

1. What is the role of your chain of command in handling harassment complaints?

   1. PROBE: is it the same for sexual harassment as other forms of harassment?

2. If you witnessed or heard someone in your unit harassing someone else, what steps would you take?

   1. PROBE: is it the same for sexual harassment as other forms of harassment?

   2. FOLLOW UP: Is what you would do consistent with official policy? If not – how does it deviate and why?

3. If you were a victim of harassment, what would you do?

   1. PROBE: is it the same for sexual harassment as other forms of harassment?

   2. PROBE: if a confidential reporting option existed would you use it?

   3. FOLLOW UP: Is what you would do consistent with official policy? If not – how does it deviate and why?

4. What do you think prevents people from reporting harassment? (both as victims and if they witness it)

5. How are policies (and policy changes) communicated? (official channels, social media, etc)

Victim Care

We now want to probe deeper into the care and support that victims may need.

1. What office or billet handles harassment complaints in your unit?

   1. PROBE: is it the same for sexual harassment as other forms of harassment?

2. In your own words, describe what services are available to victims of harassment.

   1. PROBE: how do services available for victims of sexual harassment differ from other types of harassment?

   2. PROBE: who provides these services? How do victims access them?

3. What needs do victims of harassment have that aren’t currently being met?

   1. PROBE: how do needs differ between victims of sexual harassment and other types of harassment?

4. Who do you think should provide these services?

   1. PROBE: If you were a victim where would you be comfortable going?

   2. PROBE: is your chain of command equipped to deliver them? The current MEO workforce? SAPR? Someone else?

We want to dig deeper into barriers to receiving care.

1. What do you think are barriers for victims accessing care?

2. PROBE: policies? Climate/culture? Physical location of the services? Of the reasons listed, what do you think is the biggest barrier to victims of harassment receiving care?

3. How do you think the DoD / your service could better facilitate victims accessing care or services?

Conclusion

1. If you had a magic wand and money was no object, what one thing would you want to change to improve the DoD/your service’s response to harassment?

2. Anything else you want to share with us?

1 DODI 1020.03

2 DODI 1020.03