General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsBoxer: 50k men being treated by the VA for sexual assault
Barbara Boxer and Kristen Gillbrand are sponsoring a bill to remove decisions to proceed with rape charges out of the military chain of command to military judicial officers. http://usnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/05/15/18256635-us-military-faces-historic-tipping-point-on-rape-epidemic?lite
http://www.stripes.com/news/congress-looks-to-force-change-in-military-on-sexual-assault-1.220879
Rapists know they can get away with sexual assault in the military. Boxer, on the Rachel Maddow show, said felons are walking around with nothing happening to them. Then she finished by saying the VA has reported it is currently treated 50,000 MEN for sexual assault. Women in the military face twice the rate of sexual assault that they do in civilian life, with as many of 1/3 being raped at some point in their service.
This is a serious problem that affects both women and men in our armed forces. We all need to support the proposed legislation. Those who serve in our armed forces deserve better.
Brickbat
(19,339 posts)This country is broken in so many ways.
Dawson Leery
(19,348 posts)The US military has dire problems.
BainsBane
(53,003 posts)It's not important? Those rapists should not be prosecuted? Only a tiny fraction of rape victims report or even admit they were assaulted.
Dawson Leery
(19,348 posts)I did not think it was that high.
BainsBane
(53,003 posts)I thought you were saying it was small. Is that number you cited the total armed forces or those being treated by the VA?
BainsBane
(53,003 posts)all of the non-reported ones, including assaults on women.
pinboy3niner
(53,339 posts)This population includes veterans of all eras.
Still, even out of that larger population, that is a STAGGERING number!
Tx4obama
(36,974 posts)BainsBane
(53,003 posts)freshwest
(53,661 posts)they come into contact with here and abroad. The world must change regarding assaults of all persons, men, women, children.
BainsBane
(53,003 posts)However there is an extra hurdle in the military. In civilian life, one reports a crime to police. In the military, you report it to your commanding officer, who is sometimes the rapist. He makes the decision whether charges should be pursued.
NaturalHigh
(12,778 posts)Not necessarily. It can be reported directly to the military police. I don't know if that works out any better or not. It's been about 17 years since I got out.
BainsBane
(53,003 posts)I have no personal experience in the matter, but there is legislation seeking to remove decisions from the chain of the command.
byeya
(2,842 posts)the officer corps, that over privileged sump of waste.
HappyMe
(20,277 posts)Just fucking awful and shameful. I can't imagine how high it would be if all assaults were reported by male and female victims.
I will contact the congress critter.
BainsBane
(53,003 posts)FreeState
(10,553 posts)that Boxer and other politicians are having to point out that men are indeed victims of sexual assault in order to get people to pay attention and hopefully do something. Boxer could have used the statistics of women, which is a much much higher percentage, but in our sexist society it may not have had enough influence to get peoples attention.
BainsBane
(53,003 posts)And frankly that's why I wrote the title as I did. I'm well aware of the way that women are devalued and how many dismiss sexual assault for that reason. However, in the survey recently released of unreported assaults, men actually comprised about 53% of victims. That has to do with the fact there are so many more men than women in the military. A military woman's chances of being assaulted, however, are exponentially higher than a man's. A much higher percentage of women are assaulted than men, even those the raw numbers of assaults of males is slightly higher.
FreeState
(10,553 posts)I dont have the statistics on hand, but when I worked for a domestic violence center there was a large amount of men who never reported being assaulted because of the cultural taboo of men admitting abuse. I hope thats changes a lot (its been a while).