Women abuse in the military have been continues for the past few recent decades. In the 1991 Talihook scandal, over 100 navy officers were accused of sexually assaulting and harassing multiple women, which had been approved by a Navy brass official for years. No officer were charged for their crimes and were let off without convictions. A similar case occurred at Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland where drill instructors were accused of sexually assaulting several women during their training. Among the different military services the Army has shown the highest rates of sexual abuse against women followed by the Marines, Navy, and Air Force.
Though women victimization of sexual assault are common in the military most of the incidences go unreported and unnoticed by the military officials. Women who were victims of sexual assault have admitted that they fear confessing their perpetrators due to a lack of privacy, confidentiality, and limited victim services. Many who do announce their victimization later get harassed, intimidated, and further abused by other soldiers. Perpetrators of the crime hardly receive any convictions or harsh punishment, and are usually sent to other base camps or required to take marriage counseling or anger-management classes. Nearly 5000 soldiers who have been accused of sexual assault in 1992 where given no prosecution or any sort of punishment. Those that serviced between 1988-1993, 80% received honorable discharges when retired, and 54% were promoted to higher ranks. Since the past years twice as many sex offenders that were charged for sexual assault received administrative punishment rather than court rulings.
Only recently has the United States began to form policies and laws that would terminate sexual abuse in the military. The Department of Defense have been conducting frequent reviews on their policies toward sexual assaults, programs to help those that were victims. Findings of the Department of Defense showed that they had poorly organized data systems documenting reports of sexual assault in the military as well as many missing cases. The DOD have concluded that they not been enforcing their policies and programs towards sexual assault, and that they require greater help and awareness for those that were victimized. The DOD have declared that the Secretary of Defense needs to take action in developing and administering new policies that would reconstruct the various programs that have failed to end sexual harassment in the military. New policies have been recommend to Congress and Secretaries, but many have been ignored and failed to be acknowledge by the government.
Why are women recruits so susceptible to sexual assault during their service in America? What can be done to change further crimes against women in service and end sexist ideologies that would unify our military?
Source: http://www.medscape.com/
I think that women recruits are so susceptible to sexual assault during their service for America due to their history of being walked on. Since way back women let men walk all over them, boss them around, tell them what to do, abuse and sexually abuse them etc. I feel that since the history of women sexual assault and abuse has been set; having it in the military hasn’t been a main priority fix. I think no matter how many laws are put into place women may still be assaulted. More structured laws could be passed to help prevent this abuse, but as long as some women aren’t reporting the assault, it will continue.
ReplyDeleteThere isn't much that can be done about the assaulting of women in the military. In our past, that's how women were perceived, they were sexually abused all the time. However, there have been laws out into place to counter this, but nothing that has been fully enforced to protect the women. In our past, there is history of women being the ones to have no rights and low class. It is that, that shaped how women are treated, and since many women don't complain about the sexual abuse, there is no reason to make this a top priority fix for the military/government. I would say that women could petition against the abuse and complain to the government, but if only very few take action, no help may be given. It is bad how they do get abused, but there has to be some fully enforced rule to protect the women in the military.
ReplyDeleteI believe that women in the military are sexually assaulted because they aren't taking as seriously as men. Throughout history, women have been seen as a sex symbols and haven't been viewed based off of their strength or intelligence. In addition, since the sexual assaults are rarely reported there may not be enough evidence to stop sexual abuse from further occurring. I agree with Natalya that no matter what, women will still continue to be assaulted in their workplace. Although I think it would be a nice gesture to enact new rules against women being sexually assaulted, stricter supervision will be needed to assure that everyone is obeying the law.
ReplyDeleteI do not think there is a specific reason for the history of female assaults in the United States military. Possibly frustration among male soldiers could be a cause, but there is no way to prevent that. There is no possible way to unify male and females in our military, there will most likely always be problems among a mixed population. However, separate populations of male and female soldiers could be a solution to this problem. Problems can occur in any situation, but with these guidelines I feel that the frequency of these problems will decline.
ReplyDeleteWomen recruits are susceptible to sexual assault during their service because their service is stereotypically valued less than the men. Men most likely are able to assault them because it seems from the data provided by this article that the punishments are not nearly as severe as they should be for sexual assault crimes. The women are partly at fault for not reporting these crimes but they are probably secretive about it because they don’t want to lose the respect of their male coworkers since they are already underrated in the military. To change further crimes the US government needs to encourage women to report these crimes by giving the perpetrators harsher punishments. The other male soldiers should be educated on the punishments of committing sexual abuse so that it lowers their incentive to commit it. Sexist ideologies seem to be a big issue not just in the military but everywhere. I think that these ideologies need to be removed by removing the way women are treated under the media eye. By completely equalizing our society this task could be complete, though as Josh had said it doesn’t seem probable.
ReplyDeleteThroughout our history, women have been treated with disrespect. Women continue to be sexually assaulted and abused because there is nothing they can truly do to fix the problem. Even though there have been strong women in our past that have taken leadership roles to find equality between women and men, there are still stereotypical viewpoints that we still see today. Although as Randa and Josh said, it does not seem probable to make everyone equal because it will not help, I think that there are other methods to prevent this abuse. Women should stick up for themselves and there should be consequences for the men that abuse them. They have every right to be serving for our country as they do.
ReplyDeleteI partly agree with Cassandra and Jeff, they there isn't an actual and definite reason as to why women are sexually assaulted, but at the same time I can see it being that women are not taken as seriously and important as the men in the army. History sets women as their husband’s slaves, where anything could be done to them and if ever brought to court it was somehow justified. Domestic violence was a tragic reoccurring event back when women were considered men’s properties. Women are the victims of men who are away from females so quite some time. There is more men than women in the army so they are sometimes belittled and may be too frightened to stand up for themselves. It is terrible to think that the men protecting our country are abusing the women who are there for the same sake. I think that once the reports of abuse have been made, there needs to be a punishment because it is not okay for men to be getting away with this behavior. It is hard to enforce more supervision because of the ages of the soldiers. A grown adult would have a hard time being watched and supervised, know that this assault is more than likely done in secret.
ReplyDeleteWomen recruits are susceptible to sexual assault during their service because, like Randa has mentioned, their service has been devauled compared to the mens' service. I hear so many jokes about women being in the military and how they aren't taken as seriously as they should with their strength and intelligence. Some people just really don't take women seriously. The assaulting men need to have more of a severe punishment when these incidents are reported out. Also like Randa, I agree that the women need to step up and report these harrassments so that everyone on the troup can be equal. I mean, if a women and a man of equal age are in the same troup, that means that they are probably of same strength, so why defy them? I believe that everyone in the military should be treated equally but I can see where the women are coming from whereas they don't tell of their abuse, because their men troup members could start emotionally harassing them for getting another member in trouble, and therefore being belitted and outcasted by her fellow members. I also believe that the only way the abuse going on in the military could be further demolished, is by giving these men more harsh punishments for the reported abuse. Do I think that this could end all of the abuse? No. Do I think that abuse in the military will ever end? No. But I do believe that giving these men a little more push in their punishments will decrease the amount of abuse. Just a tad.
ReplyDeleteI think that women are sexually assaulted in the military because they are being taken as seriously as the men in the military are. Like Cassandra said, women throughout history have been seen as sex symbols and they haven't been viewed by their level of intelligence or their strength. I agree with Natalya on the law statement. I feel like no matter how many laws the government puts in place for this situation, women in the military will still be assaulted. If these women don't report these incidents, this will continue to happen until very strict laws come in place.
ReplyDeleteAs many people have said already, I think women in the military are susceptible to assaults because they are not taken as seriously as men are in terms of their strength and capabilities in the military. Women have always been targeted everywhere, so for it to carry into the military as well is sadly no surprise. Women have oftentimes been seen as the victims; it’s very rare and almost impossible that you here about a woman attacking a man. So in an environment like the military where people are supposed to be seen as strong and being able to defend themselves many times people will not take the women serious enough, therefore making them a target. As sad as it is, I don’t think it will ever be possible to completely eliminate this attack on women not just in the military but anywhere. I think the best bet to diminishing the number of attacks is to encourage the women to really stand strong together and report these cases and back each other up. If there is a really strong connection and back up for these women it might be less risky to report attacks. I think also to continue to having the world be more educated in everyone and really emphasizing the point everywhere that real women are not truly what they are being portrayed as in the media, but are really capable people who deserve the respect that everyone else gets.
ReplyDeleteMen and women are not seen as the same, even in today's modern world. Men are still seen as the dominant sex, and women are still seen very much a "sex symbol." I think that this plays a major role in why women who are in the military are susceptible to assaults. Like Maddie said, woman have always been, and always are, targets. They are targets of the media, targets of most domestic violence reports, and targets of sexual/physical and emotional assaults. I personally do not think that there is something that will stop this. People will always find a way to do what they intend to do. I do however think, that one day, not only we as a nation, but the whole world, will see women and men as equals.
ReplyDeleteAs many other people have said, men and women have never been treated as equals. Women are always treated with disrespect. This disrespect plays a major role in why women who are in the military are suseptiable to assults. Like Katie said, it does not seem likely for men and women to ever be seen as equals in the views of some people, however we can take a step to make harsher punishments for people who commit sexual assult. Right now, there is nothing women can do, it is not a main prioity for law enforcement, but it should be. And laws should be made that allow women to press charges against men who sexually assult them and that the men will serve time for such a crime.
ReplyDeleteHistorically men and women, though said to be equal sometimes, have been unequal in many ways. Though violence against women really has no one reason, I believe one major reason women are sexually assaulted is because we are seen as sex symbols and because we have historically been looked down upon. We were always treated like a slave, and we have historically belonged to our husbands. The fact that we are the "weaker" sex makes it easier to make us targets.
ReplyDeleteI hate to say this, but I'm not surprised at all. Women have historically been abused by men and while laws have been put into place to try and control the situations, some people don't abide to the rules. Women in the past have let men have the authority and power over the society that the men in the army are now using for their own advantage. I do agree with my classmates that since it's happened in history before, it isn't seen as a serious problem. More laws and regulations need to be put into place to stop sexual assault against women who are sacrificing their lives to support our country.
ReplyDeleteThroughout history men have been looked at as better than women. Today we now know this is not true but the military still keeps this idea. Although women do serve in war, it is mostly men who fight in combat. Women are still thought of as not being able to protect and defend themselves. That is why when ever there is a crisis, men are supposed to protect the women and children. Abuse in the military is supporting this idea that women are inferior to men and I think that women who want to be put into combat should be able to.
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