Female GIs reporting rapes by U.S. soldiers

Denver Post ^ | 1/24/2004 | MILES MOFFEIT AND AMY HERDY

[JohnGalt]

Female GIs reporting rapes by U.S. soldiers Women say response lacking within military, some even threatened MILES MOFFEIT AND AMY HERDY Denver Post Posted on Sat, Jan. 24, 2004

Female troops serving in Iraq are reporting an insidious enemy in their own camps: fellow American soldiers who sexually assault them.

At least 37 female service members have sought sexual-trauma counseling and other assistance from civilian rape-crisis organizations after returning from war duty in Iraq, Kuwait and other overseas stations, women's assistance and advocacy organizations say.

"We have significant concerns about the military's response to sexual assault in the combat zone," said Christine Hansen, executive director of the Connecticut-based Miles Foundation, which says it has assisted 31 women.

The women, ranging from enlisted soldiers to officers, have reported poor medical treatment, lack of counseling and incomplete criminal investigations by military officials. Some say they were threatened with punishment after reporting assaults.

The Pentagon did not respond to repeated requests for information about the number of sexual assault reports during the conflict. Defense officials would say only that they will not tolerate sexual assault in their ranks.

"Commanders at every level have a duty to take appropriate steps to prevent it, protect victims, and hold those who commit them accountable," a written statement from the Pentagon said.

Members of Congress said they are alarmed by the assault reports, confirming that they have learned of incidents as well. Colorado Sen. Wayne Allard said he intends to raise the issue with the Senate Armed Services Committee. Two Pennsylvania members of Congress, Rep. Joseph Pitts and Sen. Arlen Specter, intervened last month on one rape victim's behalf to bring her home.

Senate leaders pledged last year to investigate the military's handling of rape and domestic-violence cases after media reports of problems including flawed investigations, inadequate victim services and unusual leniency for soldier sex offenders. Congressional hearings were recommended, but none has been scheduled.

[JoJo Gunn]

Surely you're not going to let a Leftist adolescent regressive upset you?

Sit back and enjoy the show!

Uh, anybody got any popcorn?

[mrs tiggywinkle]

Doncha feel special now? haha.

[mrs tiggywinkle]

You're too late. The shows already over. But I do have popcorn to share...

[Grampa Dave]

Well you warned he/she/it.

Maybe they will find out about Intenet Stalking Laws.

Also, anyone who made up the target list might have some fun.

[Darksheare]

Strangely, yes.
"I have reached a higher plane of FR experience!"
/ joke.

Well, I guess I've finally gotten the trolls notice somehow.

[Hemingway's Ghost]

USS Acadia, AD-42, had to be pulled off line in Gulf War I because with so many of its female crewmembers pregnant, it no longer had enough hands to fight the ship. Put men and women together in tight quarters, often in unrealistic situations, and nature will take care of itself.

Why this isn't a shocker I'll never understand.

I'm a USNA grad, and just about every female mid I knew was hooked up with another mid---or a caydet or zoomie. There was a LOT of boinking going on in Mother B.

Rape is another thing altogether, but I wonder if "rape" isn't being applied as a blanket term here.

[HitmanLV]

I didn't get that impression at all. If you felt that I did, I am sorry. I think the same cross-section of situations that lead to accusations of rape in the civilian world exist in the military, though some of the dynamics become exaggerated and more pronounced in the military context - close working conditions, extended hours working together, etc.

[af_vet_1981]

"Commanders at every level have a duty to take appropriate steps to prevent it, protect victims, and hold those who commit them accountable," a written statement from the Pentagon said.

Give the perps a fair trial and a fast hanging.

[metesky]

Maybe they will find out about Intenet Stalking Laws.

Well we wouldn't want to see them go to prison. Think of the Constitutional restraints on cruel and unusual punishment and the poor "real criminals" stuck inside with he/she/it. Enough is enough!

And you know he/she/it has no money, so chasing them through the courts will do exactly what? Teach them a moral lesson?

He/she/it would learn just like Birry Krinton learned. NOT!

Relax and enjoy the ride. Election day will be payback enough. Look for the Irish Sports Page (the obituaries) to be full of suicides on 11/3.

[MeekOneGOP]

LOL !

[MeekOneGOP]

LOL ! Now YOU'RE ON the list ! ;^)

[Darksheare]

I know, it's weird.
And as I was posting that one was when I got my troll-o-gram.

[Poodlebrain]

Throughout history Armies have had camp followers to satisfy the lusts of soldiers by willing females. Due to modern political correctness, the U.S. military has discouraged this time honored tradition, and admitted women into its ranks. So it is little wonder that there have been some adverse effects, or unintended consequences of trying to ignore centuries of accumulated knowledge.

Rape is wrong no matter what the circumstances. However, the U.S. military has been incredibly naive with respect to thinking its members will remain chaste for exstended periods of deployment. Those men and women intended to be soldiers, sailors, Marines and airmen not priests and nuns.

[Darksheare]

Well, when I was going through Basic and AIT at Fort Sill, there were the usual warnings from the Drill Seargents, and the usual "Soldiers rumors" that made the rounds.
One of them being about certain opposite gendered soldiers in training who started a relationship and got caught.
The word 'rape' was dropped and one soldier got sent to the local pokey, and the other was sent to counselling for being raped.
The moral of the story to we dumb Privates in training was that you had to be darned sure you wanted a relationship before you do anything stupid, and that it isn't smart to have a relationship during training, or with someone you will be on duty with.

And yes, the same cross section of situations exists in uniform.
But since I've been out of the service for a year or three, I don't have any recent knowledge or info that would be of import.

[E.G.C.]

BTTT!!!!!!

[HitmanLV]

Well, I am a civillian (I'm not military material, don't do well with authority figures - I'm more suited to joining Ben & Hoss's posses, or maybe being one of those CIA troublemakers around the world!), so my observations were just mostly from conjecture and extrapolation. What you say makes a lot of sense. It's probably not wise to enter into a romantic relationship with someone you are serving with.

To be fair, most of my romantic adventures weren't particularly wise, but they are tender memories just the same. So maybe I shouldn't talk! ;-)

[Brad’s Gramma]

The fag's back.

Well no WONDER we're being hit so hard!!! You can't even spell it right.

Are you ready now? PHAE-GUT is the proper spelling. Sheeeeeesh people.

[bogdanPolska12]

You'r right is not worth on effort. After all they are losers not us.

[Darksheare]

"..romantic adventures weren't particularly wise.."
I hear that!
And I understand what you're saying as well.
Heck, there was this one briefing we had about sexual harrassment during our first week of Basic.
The Seargent giving the briefing looks at us and says, "Is it possible to sexually harrass a man?"
Mind you, there's this room full of 17 year olds.
They all look at each other and say, "Ummm... No?"
His answer was, "OF COURSE you can. It's sexual harrassment either way. Even if it's don't ask don't tell!"
We had some no-nonsense Seargents.
Of course, they geeked us immediately after the briefing.
(Which we should have known was coming. After the drug briefing we walked out to find a clown out in the breezeway with a baggie of 'stuff'.)

I probably shouldn't talk about relationships either.
I more often than not choose the really psychotic types, unfortunately.

[metesky]

That's the attitude.

By the way, welcome to Free Republic.