Women of the armed services put a face to military sexual trauma

Wed, 13 Feb 2013 18:09:00 +0000

According to military statistics, there were 3,191 reports of sexual trauma in 2011. But experts, including Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, believe that because these assaults are grossly underreported, there were actually as many as 19,000 - 22,000 sex crimes in the military that year.

The women (and some men) who were raped or sexually assaulted by fellow service members are often faced with field commanders, as well as a Pentagon and Department of Veterans Affairs, who refuse to recognize their claims, provide treatment or prosecute the offenders.

But now survivors of sexual assault in the military are speaking out, putting a human face to a silent epidemic.

In addition to an Oscar nod for “The Invisible War,” a documentary on the pervasive culture of sexual abuse in the military, a viral campaign "I Am One" is documenting the personal experiences of women survivors.

Some military scandals are far worse than others

Tue, 13 Nov 2012 18:27:00 +0000

While many military endeavors raise ethical challenges, a recent string of personal misdeeds by senior officers has chipped away at long-held ideas about moral fortitude in the armed forces. In an attempt to illustrate this, however, the New York Times' Thom Shaker listed extramarital affairs alongside serious incidents of rape and assault in the military as examples of "inappropriate behavior."

"A worrisomely large number of senior officers have been investigated and even fired for poor judgment, malfeasance and sexual improprieties or sexual violence — and that is just in the last year," Shaker noted Monday, giving a host of examples:

Salon.com > Armed Forces

Women of the armed services put a face to military sexual trauma

Some military scandals are far worse than others