US Military Sexual Assault Reports Up 40%

Associated Press

Reports of sexual assaults in the military increased by nearly 40 percent last year, the Pentagon announced Thursday, saying the increase was at least partly due to a new program that encourages victims to come forward.

According to a report released Thursday, there were 2,374 allegations of sexual assaults reported during 2005, compared to 1,700 in 2004. Of last year's reports, 435 were initially filed under a new program that allows victims to report the incident and receive health care or counseling services but does not notify law enforcement or commanders.

"This is the most underreported crime in our society," said Roger Kaplan, a Pentagon spokesman.

Yep - you read correctly.

I bet you do not hear News about that on Fox News.

I don't think that the Military needs YET ANOTHER Abuse Scandal on their hands, since they have got their hands full of Other abuse Allegations.

[edit on 17/3/06 by Souljah]

From the source:

Reports of sexual assaults in the military increased by nearly 40 percent last year, the Pentagon announced Thursday, saying the increase was at least partly due to a new program that encourages victims to come forward.

It's good the pentagon and the military are taking steps to help sexual assault victims and prevent sexual misconduct. If accused, someone could face serious punishment for sexual misconduct in the military.....imo, it's much more strict for service members than for civilians...and it should be.

Sexual misconduct works both ways......that ladies have thier share of it too.

I have to agree with what Mr. Kaplan said:
"This is the most underreported crime in our society,"

Later
Sporty

[edit on 17/3/2006 by SportyMB]

Proof positive WOMEN do not belong in combat or the military period. Stay at home and have babies to refill the platoons. Oh yeah, bake some cookies while you're at it too.

Originally posted by thermopolis
Proof positive WOMEN do not belong in combat or the military period. Stay at home and have babies to refill the platoons. Oh yeah, bake some cookies while you're at it too.

What does sexual misconduct in Americas largest employer have to do with women in combat or women in the military?

Hint: starts with an "N" and ends with a "G"

N _ _ _ _ _ G



[edit on 17/3/2006 by SportyMB]

Originally posted by Souljah
I bet you do not hear News about that on Fox News.

Really? What is this?

www.foxnews.com...


It's too bad that things like this happen, but even worse that a few bad apples can tarnish the image of the military since there are people like Souljah around who will use them to stereotype the entire military ...

(Photo from the movie Full Metal Jacket)

The traditional (although probably outdated) US Marine Corps boot camp discipline for a recruit erroneously referring to a rifle as a "gun" was for the errant recruit to march around, holding his rifle in one hand and his penis in the other, saying "This is my rifle, and this is my gun. This is for fighting and this is for fun!"

So - why should just Boys play with Rifles?

Girls can't play with Rifles?

Well I guess Girls can play with Rifles - if they also Play with "Guns", right?

PS: Wow - it is Fox! I take it back (if I can).

[edit on 17/3/06 by Souljah]

Does the term "gender norm" mean anything? It is the way the military changes the pysical requirements to "let" females pass. Women do not belong in the military whatsoever.

Good combat MEN die because of this silly PC crap.

Originally posted by djohnsto77
www.foxnews.com...

It's too bad that things like this happen, but even worse that a few bad apples can tarnish the image of the military since there are people like Souljah around who will use them to stereotype the entire military ...

I really do not see this as all that bad. Actually it is a good thing that the military is now encouraging that crimes such as this be reported. Up until recently the real numbers have not been known. Now that they have started this procedure we are seeing a more accurate figure.

As you can see this not really a scandal, just better reporting which now includes acts by civilians on military bases which accounted for approximately 10% of the 40% because they included those individuals in their numbers.

www.sapr.mil... nces/2005%20RTC%20Sexual%20Assaults.pdf" target="_blank" class="postlink">Assault Figures

Why is it the author always avoids his own countries crime rate which between 1999 and 2001 increased a whopping 101%, let alone posting his highly offensive pictures ? :shk: :shk:







[edit on 3/17/2006 by shots]

I was a military wife for 18 years my husband retired with 22, I remember back in the eighties many cases of sexual assault but they were always hush, hush and just a slap in the wrist to the offending party.

I even had a friend an officer that was raped in her room by her boyfriend, but because it was her boyfriend nothing came out of it.

All these were in a time when the sexual harassment laws were not even yet establish.

The military has come a long way from these times, and I am glad that something is been done to ensure that certain actions are not allowed.

But what is bothers me is that it has taken this long.

Originally posted by thermopolis
Does the term "gender norm" mean anything? It is the way the military changes the pysical requirements to "let" females pass. Women do not belong in the military whatsoever.

Good combat MEN die because of this silly PC crap.

Do women really get "good combat MEN" killed in combat? Is there some kind of statistic for this? I do agree however, you shouldnt lower your physical requirements for entrance into the military just to let some people get in who otherwise wouldnt. There are plenty of jobs in the military that do not actually see the actual combat and for which "physical requirements" should be neglible.

Originally posted by marg6043
I remember back in the eighties many cases of sexual assault but they were always hush, hush and just a slap in the wrist to the offending party.

Maybe back in the eighties.....but they don't get off that light anymore.

But what is bothers me is that it has taken this long.

Actually, the military has had sexual misconduct policies out for many years. We're hearing about it now because the military is really cracking down on it.

Originally posted by thermopolis
Does the term "gender norm" mean anything? It is the way the military changes the pysical requirements to "let" females pass. Women do not belong in the military whatsoever.

Good combat MEN die because of this silly PC crap.

Hogwash. Many men in combat are praising them for their actions in fact some have even nicknamed a chopper pilot as "Saint"

Men Say Women Are Proving Skills in Direct Combat

Three points.

Shots is right about this being an increase in reporting rather than strictly an increase in incidents, that definitely has something to do with it.

Also, crimes on base and among military personnel ALWAYS go up during periods of increased action and readiness (incidentally, so do divorces). It's the understandable stress of the situation manifesting at home.

Finally, I'm not going to respond to the troll trying to hijack this thread, but I'm having a really good time imagining him getting his ass handed to him by one of our fine female soldiers.

Edit: Oops, my bad, I said oil when what I meant was vinegar! Sorry to you both. Mea Culpa.

[edit on 17-3-2006 by WyrdeOne]

[edit on 17-3-2006 by WyrdeOne]

Originally posted by WyrdeOne
Subz is right about this being an increase in reporting rather than strictly an increase in incidents, that definitely has something to do with it.

I'll second that motion.-- correction noted about subz (he obviously meant shots)

Also, for anyone looking to pursue the women in combat issue, check out this thread from some time back on ATSNN. Some good discussion went on in that one:

www.atsnn.com...

[edit on 17-3-2006 by TrueAmerican]

[edit on 17-3-2006 by TrueAmerican]

One of the best huey pilots I ever saw is a female. The best though, is a male. But he had Vietnam combat experience and is much older.

The lowering of physical requirements for females stem from the fact that without testoserone, females are unable to produce the same muscle mass as males. When it comes to the job however, all are expected to pull their own weight.

Originally posted by WyrdeOne
Three points.

Subz is right about this being an increase in reporting rather than strictly an increase in incidents, that definitely has something to do with it.

How does Subz enter into this? He has not posted in this thread or did a mod delete his post?

This is pretty shocking really.

I remember reading that many female soldiers serving in Iraq were suffering with dehydration and becoming very ill due to the fact that they refused to drink water late in the day as in the evening they were too afraid to use the latrine in the dark for fear of a sexual attack.
link

I can't imagine the number of assaults that might take place to non military women in countries soldiers may be based as well as the uniformed individuals.

However it is not right to attack all servicemen as being sexual predators (which articles like this may provoke) because this is seriously not the case.

It is due to individuals who would do this in any walk of life who use this as an opportunity and it is these individuals who need to be sought out and punished and measures taken to ensure that safety of women in the locale of military personal is put in place.

from USATODAY.com (27 March 2005)
Further, military sexual assault laws are outdated. Since the 1970s, civilian laws on rape have changed to recognize a broader range of conduct as sexual assault, such as date rape. But the half-century-old military rape statute has not kept pace, making it more difficult to prosecute some cases.

Last year, Congress ordered the Pentagon to propose revisions of assault statutes by this month. Military officials say that, too, is in the works. But, like promises to collect basic data, the push came from outside.

For reform to work, the brass will have to take these crimes seriously. The Pentagon's track record suggests that has yet to happen.

Link to whole article

Shots, sorry, I was agreeing with you but I typed subz by accident. Someone pointed my mistake out to me, and I have corrected it.

Oh, I knew since a million years ago. Specially all the stuff going in guantanamo bay. And Bush calls invades Iraq for "freedom". It would make more sense to invade guantanamo first.

I really don't think this has anything to do with Gitmo or GWB.

For some people, the military is a chance to do what they've always wanted to do, but would get arrested for doing back home. This is not the sort of soldier I want representing me overseas.

Then again, it's the only sort of soldier I don't mind losing.

Put them on the front lines, rapist scum, and see how many tears are shed when they get blown to Hell. If nothing else, load the bastards into catapults and use them as un-man ( not a typo )surveillance drones, hurtling over the battlefield and sending back streaming video, without all the expense and maintenance of a drone.

If they land in a cluster of enemy soldiers and they happen to be infected with some sort of disease, would that be considered biological warfare contrary to the rules of war?



I'm actually half-kidding and half-serious...