Navy's Sexual Assault Prevention Lead Explores Relevant NPS Research
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U.S Navy photo by MC2 Victoria Ochoa
Navy's Sexual Assault Prevention Lead Explores Relevant NPS Research
By MC2 Victoria Ochoa
Jill Loftus, head of the Navy’s Sexual Assault Prevention and Response (SAPR) Office, visited Naval Support Activity Monterey, Sept. 12-13, to assess the command SAPR program. Loftus, pictured left, along with her lead for information management, Lisa Moore, right, took advantage of their time on campus to attend a discussion on relevant research within the university’s Graduate School of Business and Public Policy (GSBPP) with Dean Dr. Bill Gates, center right, and Professor Yu-Chu Shen, center left.
Loftus was offered an introduction to research already underway, along with a few recommendations on possible future department initiatives.
“Using data collected from prior surveys that are distributed to service members every year, we want to look at the work environment and at the different factors that might be associated with sexual assault experiences,” explained Shen, offering Loftus preliminary results of their efforts to date.
However, due to limitations in what kind of data can be collected, researchers believe these initial results only scratch the surface, and there is additional work that can be done of great benefit to the SAPR program.
“Our hope originally was to use that survey and ask for a very broad installation level ID so that we could capture some additional information at the installation level, and see whether that has any correlation with sexual assault being reported or not being reported,” Shen explained.
By examining trends, NPS researchers hope to pinpoint data that could identify factors that affect either the rise or decline of sexual assault reports in different geographical locations and commands, and study it further. “If the trend diverges, then it tells you something … You’ll want to investigate if there was a change in the work environment, etc., making that prior trend diverge,” she said.
The DOD, Navy and NPS are committed to eliminating sexual assault and fostering a culture of dignity and respect for every member of the team. Researchers hope their endeavors at NPS to research and find solutions to this cause will help create an environment where sexual assault is neither tolerated, condoned or ignored.
Jill Loftus, head of the Navy’s Sexual Assault Prevention and Response (SAPR) Office, visited Naval Support Activity Monterey, Sept. 12-13, to assess the command SAPR program. Loftus, pictured left, along with her lead for information management, Lisa Moore, right, took advantage of their time on campus to attend a discussion on relevant research within the university’s Graduate School of Business and Public Policy (GSBPP) with Dean Dr. Bill Gates, center right, and Professor Yu-Chu Shen, center left.
Loftus was offered an introduction to research already underway, along with a few recommendations on possible future department initiatives.
“Using data collected from prior surveys that are distributed to service members every year, we want to look at the work environment and at the different factors that might be associated with sexual assault experiences,” explained Shen, offering Loftus preliminary results of their efforts to date.
However, due to limitations in what kind of data can be collected, researchers believe these initial results only scratch the surface, and there is additional work that can be done of great benefit to the SAPR program.
“Our hope originally was to use that survey and ask for a very broad installation level ID so that we could capture some additional information at the installation level, and see whether that has any correlation with sexual assault being reported or not being reported,” Shen explained.
By examining trends, NPS researchers hope to pinpoint data that could identify factors that affect either the rise or decline of sexual assault reports in different geographical locations and commands, and study it further. “If the trend diverges, then it tells you something … You’ll want to investigate if there was a change in the work environment, etc., making that prior trend diverge,” she said.
The DOD, Navy and NPS are committed to eliminating sexual assault and fostering a culture of dignity and respect for every member of the team. Researchers hope their endeavors at NPS to research and find solutions to this cause will help create an environment where sexual assault is neither tolerated, condoned or ignored.