Military Sexual Harassment Essay

1065 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Sexual assault in the army

The Army Sexual Harassment and Assault Response and Prevention program (although called by another name early on) has been around in one form or another for many years. The Growing rate at which Soldiers and civilians deal with daily Sexual harassment or assault, led the Army to create the program many know today as SHARP. There are many instances of Sexual Harassment or Assaults in today’s Army. There are cases that were merely intent versus impact, several where alcohol related, some cases founded and some unfounded. In the most recent Department of Defense Annual Report on Sexual Assault in the Military it was stated that there were “6,083 reports of sexual assault involving Service members as either victims or subjects throughout fiscal …show more content…

When a Soldier walks into a training session and does not even see, their own NCO’s receiving the same training, how much stock do you expect for the Solder to take? How much value do you think the Soldier sees in said training? Let us compare it to a Soldier who is counseled for poor performance on an Army APFT but the NCO Counseling is out of shape himself, or has not been seen taking an APFT in three years. Soldiers today more than ever need social proof before they believe something. We are a show me now generation, and if you want Soldiers to take SHARP Serious they must first see leader …show more content…

Male Soldiers feel comfortable around one another when the female is not around, and feel that in that environment it is ok to make the sexist jokes. In their minds “the guys just get it,” they do not realize that there could be one male Soldier in the crowd who is uncomfortable and now alienated. Another great example Victim advocates see all the time is how SHARP has turned into a joke. Almost every Victim Advocate can share a story where they heard a Soldier say something inappropriate, but follow it up by saying “SHARP”, or see someone slap another soldier on the butt and say “Good Game” as if to say it is ok to be inappropriate as long as you say SHARP or Good Game. It is these cultural norms, that if not erased will continue to perpetuate the lack of change in the

Show More
Related

  • Aberdeen Proving Ground Investigation

    917 Words  | 2 Pages

    In 1996, Captain Derrick Robinson, Sergeant Delmar Simpson, and Sergeant Nathanael Beech were arraigned for their suspected involvement in one of the biggest sex scandals the United States Military had seen. According to CNN, between these three men, charges of rape and adultery were pending in a huge case of sexual misconduct against female soldiers at Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland (CNN, 2996). Following this incident, the United States Military took it upon themselves to open a telephone hotline to encourage the reporting of similar harsh crimes. Furthermore, the spike in reporting influenced extensive research to examine the prevalence of rape against women soldiers in the U.S. Military (Titunik, 2000). This paper will explore the dynamics of rape against women soldiers in the military and the research done on its prevalence.

    Read More

  • Military Rape Victims Re-victimized

    693 Words  | 2 Pages

    The common story from victims who report being raped, according to a Military Rape Crisis Center worker, is that they were “met with disbelief and skepticism, blamed for the crime, and disposed of one way or another,” (Kitfield). Until the military stops re-victimizing the victims it will never be able to completely eradicate rape from the ranks.

    Read More

  • Staff Sergeant Essay

    1728 Words  | 4 Pages

    As a young Lance Corporal, my first impression of the NCO’s around the Recon Company was varied. As I got to know the others in my platoon, one started to stand out in my daily interactions, SSGT Moeller. He had just gotten off crutches, after a parachute accident broke his tibia and fibula, sitting on the catwalk icing his ankle. When I asked why he was icing his ankle he told me he had just finished an 8-mile run. Now, this was from an injury that should have caused months of painful rehab before running would have been possible, but here he was, sacrificing personal comforts, trying to get back to mission fitness. His reasoning being, he was scheduled to be the Assistant Team Leader (ATL) on the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit(MEU) and didn’t want to miss his chance for Afghanistan. It was at this moment that I got my

    Read More

  • Sexual Assault in the Marine Crops

    1941 Words  | 4 Pages

    Nothing replaces the role of the commander to champion the purpose of the SAPR program and create a command climate that fosters trust and confidence in the leadership. The Commanding Officer’s charge is to ensure good order and discipline within the ranks, to create a command climate of trust and respect, to be the engaged leader that will drive the cultural change required to eradicate sex crimes from the military. However, the NCOs will spark the “buy in” of the young Marines: the “buy in” that will be the difference between cultural change and an annual training requirement. Seek their input.

    Read More

  • Military Sexual Trauma among US Servicewomen during Deployment

    696 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the surveys they have referenced in the article, it displays military sexual trauma increases among women during and after military deployment of unwanted sexual contact in recent years. The authors have recruited and conducted of twenty-two US servicewomen telephone interviews from May 2011 to January 2012 to participate a qualitative study with or without their MST experiences. They asked the participants questions regarding about MST during deployment and other factors which are disturbing their reporting and accessing to services against the perpetrators. The issues of sexism, high stress levels, and failed military leadership contributing factors which put these servicewomen in jeopardy of MST. Some of the interview women said that servicewomen do not report MST due to lack of support from peers, unreliable confidentiality, stigma, and other barriers. The interviewees feel more comfortable opening to medical care services after deployment in the United States that grips with sexual assault cases than throughout deployment around the world. The participants have suggested to improving the MST services: by increasing awareness, prosecution, investigation, cultural shift, and independence service providers. The interviewees recognized that Military se...

    Read More

  • Rape In The Military Essay

    1425 Words  | 3 Pages

    Men are also targets of assault and rape in the United States Military, by far it is evident

    Read More

  • Military Trauma Essay

    631 Words  | 2 Pages

    Military Sexual Trauma, also known as MST. What is it and why is it important? MST refers to psychological trauma resulting from a sexual assault or repeated, threatening harassment experienced during military service (pg. 3). Now, let us take a moment and think about the relevance of this subject? When we think of our women in combat, what do we see? We see strong and courteous females. But have we ever thought about what could be lurking underneath all that armor?

    Read More

  • The Pros And Cons Of Military Sexual Assault

    726 Words  | 2 Pages

    Article 120, UCMJ, is rape and sexual assault generally. The manual for courts-martial provides a very detailed and informative definition of what Sexual Assault is. The goal of this article is not to regurgitate that definition for you, but simply to make you aware of some of the common themes and similarities seen in past military sexual assault cases, provide some clarity on the two reporting options and finally to make you aware of some of the resources available to you in the event you become a victim of sexual assault. Many military sexual assault cases share two prominent characteristics; the consumption of alcohol and lack of clearly given consent. The unfortunate and tragic truth is sexual assaults still occur within our ranks. However, we can mitigate our chances of becoming a victim by educating ourselves, being aware of common themes and staying proactive in the prevention of this despicable crime.

    Read More

  • Rape within the Military as a Global Social Issue

    2054 Words  | 5 Pages

    There is no excuse nor any type of justification for rape. However, because it is a widespread problem, a demand for widespread awareness is in order. As global citizens, the world needs to become more conscious on the effects of stigmas and stereotypes for rape within the military. By eliminating these influences, a decrease in sexual violence cases can be met. Until then, it is crucial that this issue thought about seriously, and taken into perspective. By raising awareness alone, even outside the military, a stand can be taken against these labels that are costing veterans their livelihoods and peace of mind.

    Read More

  • Rape and Sexual Assault in the Military

    1105 Words  | 3 Pages

    The purpose of this essay is to discuss the issue of rape and sexual assault in the military. The number of attacks for rape and sexual assault in the military are at an all-time high. Women have recently been allowed to fight on the front line. While this may be a huge achievement for women-kind, for this woman, it is a very scary thought. I am a junior at Texas Academy of Biomedical Sciences; a school geared towards students wishing to enter the medical field. I may be forced to join the military one day if a war breaks out and women are needed to protect the country. I would be happy to serve my country if I did not have to be scared of my fellow soldiers. Rape and sexual assault are major issues in the military and have been for many years without much effort to decrease the attacks. I am suggesting that unless the rape and sexual assault issue is fixed, the amount of people joining the military, specifically the women, will decrease greatly.

    Read More

  • Sexual Assault In The Military

    921 Words  | 2 Pages

    Sexual assault in the military has become one of the most controversial of all issues that have been discussed over the years. The topic has received extensive media coverage and has contributed to multiple media scandals. According to a Newsweek report done in 2011, women are more likely to be assaulted by fellow soldiers than killed in combat. The Department of Defense estimates approximately 19,000 sexual assaults occur per year amongst military personnel. That number is stifling considering that in the last year only 1,108 troops filed for investigation, and of those only 575 cases were processed. Out of the 575 processed cases only 96 went to Court Martial. Obviously from the numbers, sexual assault is a serious issue in the military. Much like in the civilian world there is bias when it comes to the guilt or innocence of the attacker, as well as the validity in the accounts of the accuser. I believe that the system in place may inadvertently contribute to the continuous rise in sexual assaults and that if this system isn’t fixed quickly, it will be detrimental to the organization as a whole. Sexual assault has seriously negative impacts on service members and their families. That impact carries over to their work, limiting mission readiness, and undermining national security.

    Read More

  • Military Disrespect Essay

    1027 Words  | 3 Pages

    In today’s time frame the term disrespect can be defined by many different things. The dictionary defines disrespect as the lack of respect or courtesy. In the military disrespect can be show as not only talking back, but hand gestures, body language, the emphasis of your voice when responding to a command, or even not acknowledging one command. Out of all the possible signs of disrespect I think personally that talking back, body language and the emphasis of your voice are the major ones that can get you in trouble. Even not going to the authorize position of parade rest is a sign of disrespect, because as Non Commissioned Officer if you out rank the subordinate the person who is receiving information, criticism, or a command should be at

    Read More

  • Military Sexual Assault Essay

    1478 Words  | 3 Pages

    Military Sexual Trauma (MST) is what Veterans using the VA Healthcare system refer to when discussing sexual harassment and sexual assault that takes place in military settings. “Much of the research literature with military veterans identifies the population of interest through the use of MST screening, for which a positive response can indicate a range of experiences, including rape, sexual Assault, experienced by the veteran during military service” (Street & Stafford, n.d.). Although most people focus the attention on women service members being the victims in a lot of the cases at VA clinics, “data indicates that 50% of survivors are actually men. For example, a 2011 review (Allard, Nunnink, Gregory, Klest, & Platt, 2011) of peer reviewed articles published up to December 2009 identified 74 articles focused on MST, but of those, only two articles focused on men only” (O’Brien, Keith, & Shoemaker, 2015). Sexual Trauma does not only occur during training or peacetime, the stress of war could be associated with rising rates of sexual assault and sexual harassment. “Research with Persian Gulf War military personnel conducted by Jessica Wolfe and colleagues found that rates of sexual assault (7%), physical sexual harassment (33%) and verbal sexual harassment (66%) were higher than those typically found in peacetime military samples” (Street & Stafford, n.d.). None the less, whether a service member is male or female or off to war vs training on US soil, the traumatic experience of falling victim to sexual assault forever change a person’s well-being. “Physical and sexual assault contribute to long-lasting physical and emotional suffering among men and women across the life span” (Bryan, McNaugton-Cassill, Osman, & Hernandez, 2013) therefor suicide rates are rising in sexual assault victims “because they adversely affect the victim’s sense of identity and self-worth, such that the victim begins to perceive him- or herself

    Read More

  • Sexual Assault And Sexual Assaults

    1059 Words  | 3 Pages

    The US Military has a long history and jaded history of issues with sexual assault. The number of women sexually assaulted in the US Military is 5% higher than that of women in the ficivilian population; there are an estimated 20,000 sexual assaults on women service members each year. This is not, however, a strictly female problem; it is estimated that nearly half of...

    Read More

  • What Makes a Good NCO

    650 Words  | 2 Pages

    Since the Army puts everything down on paper, from how to perform maintenance on an M4 weapon (“Rifle…”, 2003, para. 1.4) to how to write a letter to your commander (“Preparing…”, 2001, p. 30), a good NCO must know and follow the rules and instructions that apply to him or her on a regular basis. For example, a good NCO must be able to correct a soldier’s uniform to the exact standard. In order to order a soldier to tuck in his or he...

    Read More

More about Military Sexual Harassment Essay

Open Document