Sexual Assault in the Military
By David Pardino
Addressing the issue
Sexual assault is a sexual assault is a serious issue not only for civilians but for military personnel as well. As of last year (2014), an estimated of 18,900 soldiers, sailors, Marines, and Air Force personnel said they were victims of “unwanted sexual contact” compared to 26,000 in 2012. (Holmes)
Effects on military personnel
Those who have fallen victim to being sexually assault may come out of serving with a disorder such as PTSD. "Victims of “unwanted sexual contact” may fall into a state of depression, commit suicide, and be unwilling to make contact with the rest of society. "(Holmes)
America's view on the issue
The people of America look down upon sexual assault or "unwanted sexual contact". They react to this as if it were any other rape case but not in a way where it causes a huge commotion in America. "It's America's dirty little secret" (Broadbent).
Military's view on the issue
"The military has pledged zero tolerance for over 20 years. There is no other mission in the world for our military where this much failure would be allowed." (Gillibrand)(Holmes)
Programs/Resources
The Department of Defense Safe Helpline offers confidential support and information to Service members who have been sexually assaulted. The DoD Safe Helpline is available at anytime, anywhere - 24-hours-a-day, 7-days-a-week, worldwide at 877-995-5247 (Army FAQS).
Citations
Broadbent, Lucy. "Rape in the US Military: America's Dirty Little Secret." The Guardian, 09 Dec. 2011. Web. 8 Sept. 2015.
"FAQS." U.S. Army, n.d. Web. 10 Sept. 2015.
Holmes, Steven A. "Sharp Decrease of Sexual Assault in Military, Study Finds." CNN, 01 May 2015. Web. 08 Sept. 2015.
Images:
"PTSD Background Image." Cannablogna.com, n.d. Web. 10 Sept. 2015.
"Safe Helpline Logo." Rainn.org, n.d. Web. 10 Sept. 2015.
"Service Member Saluting." Flickr.com, n.d. Web. 10 Sept. 2015.