It has become a grave concern, particularly as uniformed women take on more roles. Military sexual trauma, which encompasses everything from sexual harassment to rape, is now the leading cause of post-traumatic stress disorder among women in the U.S. military. Female soldiers today are 180 times more likely to be sexually assaulted by a fellow soldier than killed by an enemy. Sufferers often spiral downward into alcohol and substance abuse, depression, and homelessness.
"It just pulls the skin off you," said one former Army Reserve officer, who retreated to a mobile home deep in the woods after she was assaulted. But sexual abuse often goes unreported. In 2011, there were around 3,000 official cases of military sexual assault, but a report commissioned by then Defense Secretary Leon Panetta put the actual annual number at 19,000 or more. An anonymous survey of more than 1,100 women who served in Afghanistan and Iraq, conducted last year by the Department of Veterans Affairs, found that almost half said they had been sexually harassed, and nearly one quarter said they'd been sexually assaulted.
8 comments:
This will not last much longer. With the liberal democrats, soon everyone in the military will be gay or transgender. It was the downfall of the Roman Empire and we are following that path.
Because the straight guys in the military are such a good example.
Simple solution -- women should not be in the military or in situations that make them vulnerable to rape/harassment. Stop putting the lives of our men in danger for the sake of "equality." God did not create us all the same. Women don't belong in war.
11:30 You have to be muslim. You are thinking just like them. So the women shouldn't be in the military because the men can't control themselves? That is why the muslim women where burkas so then men won't lust after them. So what you are saying is men have no self control. I don't think I want ANYONE in the military that has no self control.
Nothing wrong with 1 man 1 woman to a pup tent. They will just have to learn to get a grip on things.
Why is this surprising to anyone? The military attracts stupid, violent people to its ranks. Shouldn't come as a shock when a lot of those people commit stupid, violent crimes.
I see nothing surprising in this. It was totally predicted. Women now have equal rights but still expect to be treated as "women". Passing laws & "educating" people will not negate the natural basic instincts. As long as males & females are kept in close contact with each other this WILL happen. This is biologically known as "survival of the species."
Anonymous said...
Why is this surprising to anyone? The military attracts stupid, violent people to its ranks. Shouldn't come as a shock when a lot of those people commit stupid, violent crimes.
April 3, 2013 at 12:29 PM
Really? Anonymous huh? Well that took a ton of intestinal fortitude. I'm sorry, you probably dont undertand that, seeing as though it's coming from a "stupid, violent" person. I have served in the United States Marine Corps for the better part of a decade. I have heard of incidents of sexual assault/harrassment throughout my time. The skewed statistics that are addressed in this article only address military. If you look to the civilian sector you will see the same statistics outside of the military. 1 in 4 women will experience some type of harrassment or rape. The reason these issues get highlighted and placed under a magnifying glass in the military is because by nature military organizations attempt to be "model organizations" and eliminate social problems from their ranks. Women are 180x more likely to be raped than killed by enemy forces because of the statistics of their job assignments. Sure there are women in combat arms positions today, however, not in the numbers that men serve currently. 1 women in the combat arms field carries the same statistical weight as 1,000 men. Men are more likely to be raped than killed by enemy forces in the military as well, seeing as though the national average is that men represent 1 out of every 10 rapes. By these numbers that means that Mr. Panetta's figure for rapes represents 300 men being raped (1900 total with unreported incidents). There were 417 American Deaths due to combat actions that year. This is simply using skewed statistics aimed at making the military look like a bad organization. Then for someone to come out and make statements like this anonymous reader, it is extremely aggrivating. Take some time, research the FACTS. Be a man, or a woman, stand behind your opinions. I stand every day attempting to protect you and your opinions whether I agree or not. Atleast have the courage to back it up with your name. I do.
Sergeant Ian Insley
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