Even more than harm from the enemy, women in the military are in danger of sexual assault by their comrades in arms. Studies by the Veterans Administration and others indicate that about one-third of women serving in the military are victims of sexual assault by other military personnel, including their superiors. It’s hard to believe that the military is not capable of controlling the situation, so the inevitable conclusion is that it’s not a priority. When rapists are not punished—and often seem to be promoted—perhaps it is more accurate to say that it is encouraged.
In their announcement of a comprehensive report titled ‘It’s In Our Hands: Stop Violence Against Women, Amnesty International says, ‘When women enlist to join the U.S. Armed Forces, they are signing up to defend their country, not to defend themselves from attacks by fellow servicemembers…’; Christine Hansen of the Miles Foundation emphasized that ‘It’s time for the military to do what it does best: give orders. Leaders must make clear that violence against any woman, anywhere, of any nationality, age, race, rank or marital status will not be tolerated. In fact, it will be prosecuted.’
To increase your understanding of the realities of this topic, we recommend the following stories:
- Silence in the Barracks, by Jessica Pupovac
- Life As a Female Soldier, by Tara McKelvey
- For Female G.I.s, ‘Nothing seems to change’ in Military, by M. D. LaPlante
- Women At War, by Pamela Martineau & Steve Wigand
- Conduct Unbecoming the U.S. Army
- Does Military Service Turn Young Men into Sexual Predators?, by Penny Coleman
- Is There an Army Cover-Up of Rape and Murder of Women Soldiers?, by Col. Ann Wright (Ret.)
Additional Resources:
- Service Women’s Action Network (SWAN)
- Grace After Fire
- Factors Associated With Women’s Risk of Rape in the Military Environment (Anne G. Sadler, Brenda M. Booth, Brian L. Cook and Bradley N. Doebbeling – American Journal of Industrial Medicine, 2003)
- Department of Veterans Affairs – Center for Women Veterans
- Department of Veterans Affairs – Women’s Trauma Recovery Program