1 in 3 US Military Females Sexually Assaulted

[Acala]

I don't understand why a man, much less a woman, would want to volunteer for this service to the state.

For every victim of sexual assault there is a perpetrator.

 

[MoneyWhereMyMouthIs2]

For every victim of sexual assault there is a perpetrator.

More often, I bet perpetrators outnumber victims because it is common for a perpetrator to have multiple victims. But the original topic of this thread has been reasonably disputed here before.

Spoken like a true tool of the left ! Yes you would truly love to balkinize the American public wouldn't you ? Having worked for the military for the last 39 years I have seen the major pussification of our troops brought about by those with your mindset. Those in command are the true evil when it comes to the military not the troops at the bottom. You really need to become a great deal more familiar with the military that you so freely criticize. Perhaps then you would understand but somehow I doubt it !

So these people with Belian78's mindset... the ones who causing the "pussification of our troops" ... are they in the military or not in the military? Having been there 39 years, are you at the top or bottom? I'm curious because it sounds like you simultaneously slammed both pretty hard. You called the top evil and the bottom pussies. Are you in the magic middle somewhere?

 

[presence]

You called the top evil and the bottom pussies. Are you in the magic middle somewhere?

lol

I'd be more inclined at this point to "support the troops" if more of them were talkin' to the psychologist and chaplain about conscientious objector status instead of committing suicide getting hooked on psychiatric meds or immorally fighting unconstitutional wars.


presence

 

[tod evans]

Those in command are the true evil when it comes to the military not the troops at the bottom. !

Best thing I've read all day!

 

[Aeroneous]

I'm sorry but anyone that can look back over the last 10 years, and how our military is being used, and still enlist doesn't get an ounce of support from me. Our military isn't an honorable force for the preservation of our nation any longer, it's the security for murderous bastards that care not for the spilling of our children's blood.

I guess it's a good thing I don't need (or care about) your support.

You can look at it however you like, that's your right. I am proud to have served, but I enlisted to defend the Constitution. During my enlistment I realized that the military isn't necessarily fulfilling that mission, at least not in the current time period. I couldn't reenlist knowing what the current foreign policies are. From a day-to-day practicality standpoint, my military experience has afforded me the opportunity to do very well in the private sector.

I must also add that unless you have the proper security clearance and are in a need-to-know position, you have no idea how much the military actually DOES do to protect the country on a daily basis. I don't know your professional or personal experience, but I can say that I feel confident in knowing that I did make some kind of difference in actual national defense.

 

[MoneyWhereMyMouthIs2]

More often, I bet perpetrators outnumber victims because it is common for a perpetrator to have multiple victims. But the original topic of this thread has been reasonably disputed here before.

I got that backwards... more victims, less perps. It is like people who steal. There is not usually one thief for every theft, but a thief responsible for many thefts each.

 

[belian78]

I guess it's a good thing I don't need (or care about) your support.

You can look at it however you like, that's your right. I am proud to have served, but I enlisted to defend the Constitution. During my enlistment I realized that the military isn't necessarily fulfilling that mission, at least not in the current time period. I couldn't reenlist knowing what the current foreign policies are. From a day-to-day practicality standpoint, my military experience has afforded me the opportunity to do very well in the private sector.

I must also add that unless you have the proper security clearance and are in a need-to-know position, you have no idea how much the military actually DOES do to protect the country on a daily basis. I don't know your professional or personal experience, but I can say that I feel confident in knowing that I did make some kind of difference in actual national defense.

You went in, found out the truth of the matter, and couldn't in good concience re-enlist. I would have no problem thanking you for your sense of service to the country. As for your military experience helping you in the private sector, I'm glad it helped. I busted my butt to make it on my own merits and work my way up through the private sector the entire way.

As for the remainder of your post, I'd say that what the country ACTUALLY does to ensure our saftey is exactly what the fed gov is given power to do in the constitution. The majority of what the military is used for, is the exact opposite.

 

[Aeroneous]

You went in, found out the truth of the matter, and couldn't in good concience re-enlist. I would have no problem thanking you for your sense of service to the country. As for your military experience helping you in the private sector, I'm glad it helped. I busted my butt to make it on my own merits and work my way up through the private sector the entire way.

As for the remainder of your post, I'd say that what the country ACTUALLY does to ensure our saftey is exactly what the fed gov is given power to do in the constitution. The majority of what the military is used for, is the exact opposite.

I would agree with the majority part. There is quite a bit that the average joe has no idea about though.

I don't think you were making this point when you referenced your own hard work, but I don't believe having military service on a resume as any less "on one's own merits" than purely starting in the private sector. I earned rank through hard work, finished undergrad and half my masters despite deployments/frequent travel/austere conditions, and received job offers through my own hustle. Hundreds of thousands have done exactly the same thing as me. Looking back, I'm really not sure which avenue would have been better. While it was a lot easier to break into experienced positions right off the bat, I think I could potentially be at a higher position if I'd just done the HS->College->Internship->Full Time route.

Had I been as open minded about world affairs at age 19 as I am now, I never would have enlisted. But then again, it's no secret that the government counts on the naivete of teenagers. I hope you don't think too ill of people who continue to reenlist and serve. Military pay is okay, but I think we all know how life can blind side you. Plenty of service members remain on Active Duty out of personal necessity, and in reality their actual daily actions are not much different than the average citizen. It's not as if every member of the military is out there taking lives unjustly every day.

 

[presence]

Had I been as open minded about world affairs at age 19 as I am now, I never would have enlisted. But then again, it's no secret that the government counts on the naivete of teenagers. I hope you don't think too ill of people who continue to reenlist and serve. Military pay is okay, but I think we all know how life can blind side you. Plenty of service members remain on Active Duty out of personal necessity, and in reality their actual daily actions are not much different than the average citizen. It's not as if every member of the military is out there taking lives unjustly every day.

Jefferson might call them "pauper hirelings".

 

[Pericles]

Best thing I've read all day!

Because it is true.

 

[Travlyr]

Best thing I've read all day!

I still wonder where those in command would be without the support of the troops at the bottom. Evil is as evil does.

 

[juleswin]

I see the headline and the first thing I want to know is, what is the definition of sexual assault? 1 in 3 is a freaking high number even in the prison population. So show me your definition before I can take you number seriously.

 

[awake]

I wonder if females looking to 'serve thier country' were made aware of that statistic would they actually join?

 

[presence]

I see the headline and the first thing I want to know is, what is the definition of sexual assault? 1 in 3 is a freaking high number even in the prison population. So show me your definition before I can take you number seriously.

Searching for you but so far, cited in the article:

http://www.dol.gov/wb/trauma/traumaguide.htm#.UHODylbQRXQ

Military Sexual Trauma
The VA defines Military Sexual Trauma (MST) as

“sexual harassment that is threatening in character
or
physical assault of a sexual nature

that occurred while the victim was in the military,
regardless of geographic location of the trauma,
gender of victim, or the relationship to the perpetrator.”




Research suggests that 81-93% of female veterans have been exposed to some type of trauma (Zinzow et al., 2007). Rates of trauma for female veterans are significantly higher than those of the civilian population. Often these experiences begin prior to military service. Researchers have found that more than half of female veterans experienced some type of trauma or abuse before joining the military. Twenty-seven to 49% of women veterans experienced childhood sexual abuse and 35% have experienced childhood physical abuse (Zinzow et al., 2007). Traumatic experiences continue in adulthood with 29-40% of female veterans experiencing sexual assault and about half experiencing physical assault. Domestic violence is a significant issue for this population, as 18-19% of female veterans have experienced it (Zinzow et al., 2007). In a 2002 survey of active duty military women, more than one out of every five reported physical and/or sexual assault by intimate partners, often partners who were active duty or retired military.


Military Sexual Trauma (MST) in the form of sexual harassment and assault remains a significant concern for female soldiers. Twenty percent of female veterans who served in Iraq and Afghanistan have been identified as having experienced MST (U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, 2010). According to the Department of Defense, approximately one in three military women has been sexually assaulted compared to one in six civilians (Foster & Vince, 2009).

Prevalence of military sexual assault among female veterans ranges from 20-48%, and 80% of female veterans have reported being sexually harassed (Foster & Vince, 2009). Despite the implementation of prevention programs and improved reporting mechanisms, female soldiers continue to experience sexual harassment and assault and are reluctant to report incidences. Of significant concern is this under-reporting of MST and a lack of information about services for survivors of MST.


In addition to the high rates of MST, women in the military face challenges that may differ from their male colleagues. According to a report by Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, more than 40% have children and approximately 30,000 single mothers have been deployed. Women report higher levels of stress over the impact of their deployment on family and relationships (Vogt, Pless, King & King, 2005). Due to these factors, women are less likely to feel prepared for deployment than men (Carney et al., 2003) and are often highly stressed (Vogt et al., 2005). Women are in the minority when serving in the military and have fewer opportunities for peer support, which may lead to feelings of isolation (Myers, 2009; Vogt et al., 2005).


Traumatic experiences can have a significant impact on a person's overall health and well-being. The effects of multiple experiences of trauma, such as those that are statistically common among female veterans, may include: difficulties trusting others and forming and maintaining healthy relationships; struggles understanding, talking about and managing feelings; adopting high-risk behaviors as coping mechanisms (e.g., eating disorders, substance abuse, self-harm, sexual promiscuity, violence); and developing severe and persistent physical and mental health issues such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The impact of military sexual trauma on female veterans is especially pronounced. Female veterans assaulted in the military are nine times more likely to exhibit PTSD symptoms; are more likely to have problems with alcohol or drugs; have lower economic and educational outcomes; and experience difficulty maintaining relationships as well as stable housing and employment.

Here I see:
http://www.ptsd.va.gov/public/pages/military-sexual-trauma-general.asp

About 1 in 5 women and 1 in 100 men seen in VHA respond "yes" when screened for MST.

 

[fr33]

I wonder if females looking to 'serve thier country' were made aware of that statistic would they actually join?

Well, I doubt the recruiter told them about that. He/she was too busy selling them on how much they would be paid and how they could get an education.

 

[angelatc]

I wonder if females looking to 'serve thier country' were made aware of that statistic would they actually join?

Because girls are too stupid to know that men are really animals? Anybody who chooses to be plunked down in testosterone central pretty much knows she has to keep her guard up, I can assure you. And I also suspect that a lot of these "assaults" are movements that would have resulted in a stern slap a couple of generations ago.

If they let service members keep their weapons while on base, this stuff would sort itself out promptly and efficiently.

 

[presence]

Because girls are too stupid to know that men are really animals?

I'll throw fuel on the fire and state that the average blissfully feminist, "I can do it too", 18-19 year old female pauper hireling, like her male pauper hireling counter part, really has no clue about for-profit-military-foreign-policy, military law, common unspoken wartime customs including sexual assault, or the historical fact that a common role for women in the theatre of war is either prostitute or victim; or as you say: generally too stupid (though I prefer ignorant) to know that men are really animals... especially when said animals are suicidal and whacked out on psycho drugs (which they probably hadn't heard about either) after repeat deployments to the new age of endless, un-winnable, immoral, and unconstitutional theatres (which they barely understand the underlying contexts of). What percent of the masses are voting obomneysachs? Stupid, no. Just really ignorant.

As a matter of fact, nearly half of them;

Twenty-seven to 49% of women veterans experienced childhood sexual abuse,

probably joined thinking that they could get away from the sexual abuse they had grown accustom to at home without giving a second thought to the fact that it really just set them up to be the unspoken prostitutes of war in a mkultra pussycat kind of way.

Perhaps, instead of offering statistics, the military should simply issue a poncho and a roll of toilet paper to female soldiers to help them prepare. Lets be realists.

And I also suspect that a lot of these "assaults" are movements that would have resulted in a stern slap a couple of generations ago.

Right, because before our world of political correctness, sexual assault on females during wartime was simply an unspoken and accepted truth of war.

If they let service members keep their weapons while on base, this stuff would sort itself out promptly and efficiently.

http://www.cnn.com/2012/08/17/world/asia/afghanistan-taliban/index.html

Its been that way since August; locked and loaded.

​

 

[Philhelm]

When I was deployed, I was transferred to a bridge-building company, and we had maybe 10 females in a 200 personnel company. I believe about half of the females had made complaints about being sexually assaulted. The problem is that the women added to the problem. One of the women that was supposedly assaulted had masturbated with a chem-light in front of about 15 men. The company was such a fucking disgrace.

 

[presence]

"Even if the cop is going full-bore psychopath, naked as a jaybird, eating his own shit, and trying to slash you up with a straight razor, ON FILM, you're still going to lose every single asset of yours keeping yourself out of prison after you defend yourself."
-fisharmor

Totally off topic, kind of, what thread is that from philhelm... I'm going back to plus rep it.

 

[Nirvikalpa]

Because girls are too stupid to know that men are really animals? Anybody who chooses to be plunked down in testosterone central pretty much knows she has to keep her guard up, I can assure you. And I also suspect that a lot of these "assaults" are movements that would have resulted in a stern slap a couple of generations ago.

If they let service members keep their weapons while on base, this stuff would sort itself out promptly and efficiently.

Unbelievable. I guess I am a feminazi then, for thinking men can and should control themselves.

To the comment about whacked-out, suicidal men on prescription drugs "not being able to control their horny level" (in the voice of Chris Hansen)... I walk around outside my house daily with people like that around me in society.

If men are truly animals, then all sexual assault from on the street outside a woman's home, to in her apartment, to at a frat house, to a military base... is all acceptable and it is going against nature to deny men what they want and can't control. That's a bunch of bullshit.