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1/3rd of Women in US Military Raped

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posted on Jan, 27 2010 @ 02:13 PM
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reply to post by mr-lizard
 


Comparing the military population and the problems that ensue would be like comparing the prison population to the standard population.

It is comparing apples and oranges.

Do some soldiers stay wacky? Sure. But many lead normal lives, because they have been removed from an un-natural environment.

When under stressful conditions, people gain behaviors that they would never do otherwise.



posted on Jan, 27 2010 @ 04:52 PM
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Originally posted by nixie_nox
Comparing the military population and the problems that ensue would be like comparing the prison population to the standard population...When under stressful conditions, people gain behaviors that they would never do otherwise.


Exactly. One only has to speak to veterans (usually when they are drunk and remorseful) and they will sometimes tell of all manner of shameful things they did in a war. For those that might have the delusional Hollywood conception of the noble John Wayne and Audie Murphy as their constructs of American soldiers in war: it ain’t really so. Or at least, only part of the story was told.

I have spent time with friends and relatives that were in wars going back to WWII. In their candid moments, they all had at least one episode that they found deeply regretful. It could have been any type of behavior that we would find abhorrent; from killing an innocent to stealing to rape to wanton destruction. But they all came back to ‘normal’ life and became model citizens and never committed another crime in their lives.

The war made (or enabled) them to engage in terrible acts that they would have otherwise been able to resist within the comfortable environ of normal society. But for boys who are thinking the next moment might be their last, anything is possible.



posted on Jan, 27 2010 @ 05:11 PM
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Yeah, thats one side of it. The other side of it are the massive amounts of veterans, front line sorts, that come back and get divorced, commit spousal abuse, abuse their children, go on violence sprees. The ones that come back and collapse in the gutters as they descend into depression, alcoholism, addiction, etc. We dont really have a system of deprogramming, nor do we have an effective system of treatment, which is why veterans make up the largest percent of our homeless population (I work psyche, i see it).

Thinking back to childhood too, you knew which friends had dads in vietnam. They were often traumatized by the things their fathers did to them as well, from violent drunken rages, to bizarre psychosis from ptsd. Again, it does depend if they were frontline or not.



posted on Jan, 27 2010 @ 05:16 PM
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US statistics: cross-posted from a similar thread:

Defense Department Releases Sexual Assault Statistics


...The analysis found 2,923 sexual assault “reports” in fiscal 2008, which is roughly an 8 percent increase compared to fiscal 2007. But officials cautioned that the rise in reporting -- a figure that represents the total number of sexual assaults reported -- is not necessarily indicative that more incidents occurred.

One possible explanation for the increase could be that higher numbers of victims are reporting incidents as people become more aware of sexual assault in general, and the military’s robust support network, Whitley said.

“This does not mean sexual assaults have gone up,” she said. “This means that reports have gone up, which we see as very positive. The increase of reports means the department’s policy of getting victims to come forward is making a difference.”

Defense officials said during a briefing yesterday that the aggregate number of reports combines incidents that vary in the degree of offense committed. About 63 percent represent rape or aggravated assault. Also, 251 incidents occurred in combat areas, with 141 in Iraq and 22 in Afghanistan. Those numbers increased from fiscal 2007, Whitley said.

Speaking on sexual assault prevention, Whitley said the department seeks to establish a military culture that calls on bystanders to play a more active role in preventing assaults...


Now, to the question I posed in the other thread, but never got an answer to.

Why is this happening and what is preventing the women from reporting it?

Oftentimes, taking the first step -- reporting the incident -- proves difficult. According to defense officials, of the 6.8 percent of women and 1.8 percent of men who indicated they experienced unwanted sexual contact, the majority -- 79 percent of women and 78 percent of men -- chose not to report it.


The most frequently cited reasons for not reporting the incident include:

-- Felt uncomfortable making a report (58 percent of women and 51 percent of men);
-- Thought they would be labeled a troublemaker (56 percent of women and 41 percent of men);
-- Did not want anyone to know about the incident (56 percent of women and 47 percent of men);
-- Did not think anything would be done (53 percent of women and 44 percent of men);
-- Feared retaliation (50 percent of women and 38 percent of men);
-- Not important enough to report (48 percent of women and 60 percent of men);
-- Thought they would not be believed (41 percent of women and 35 percent of men);
-- Thought reporting would take too much time and effort (36 percent of women and 46 percent of men); and
-- Did not report because they did not know how (18 percent of women and 26 percent of men).


This is a huge issue, it's happening, it's being addressed but not well enough, and it is a critical problem in ALL countries. The US is not alone in this and should not be singled out to the detriment of an actual discussion regarding the very real issue of Rape in the Military and why it continues to happen, all over the world.



[edit on 28-1-2010 by LadySkadi]



posted on Jan, 27 2010 @ 05:20 PM
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What prevents women from reporting.

I have a guess.

They are smart enough to realize that there is an entire component of the population who will try and make it so that they "protect" them, by tring to disallow them from doing their job.

They get a choice.

Report it, and the social conservatives will use it as an excuse to "protect" you into being a housewife.

Don't report it, and the guys get away with it and do it more. And the standard of the soldier is brought low.


The problem is quite obvious.



posted on Jan, 27 2010 @ 05:25 PM
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Lemme get this straight....the statistics on rape go UP, and it is seen as a positive thing, because it MAY show that rather than there being more rape, it may just be more people REPORTING rape? How the hell does that work? If statistics went DOWN would be seen as a negative thing? I think not. They are constantly trying to spin worsening conditions as being a "good" thing. What would it take for them to say "ooop, this is bad"? Why must they try to make everything seem like an improvement? Are they soon going to point out the 22% unemployment rate of the US as a "good" thing because, at least we are starting to report it correctly?!



posted on Jan, 27 2010 @ 05:30 PM
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reply to post by pexx421
 

The statistics in "reporting" going up IS a good thing... it means that more people are not only reporting the crime, but are seeking help. It means that the "hopefully" the criminals are caught and prosecuted, thereby preventing future cases... Think about it, before you rant about it. A culture of silence does not benefit anyone, but reporting a crime, seeking justice and seeking help for oneself to move on, does have benefit.



posted on Jan, 27 2010 @ 05:34 PM
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yeah, it could also mean more people are being raped. It seems to me that they blacked out this possibility by stating, "oh, it most likely just means more people are reporting it"....thats why i was ranting it.



posted on Jan, 27 2010 @ 05:35 PM
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See, you proved my point. In the article it says this MAY just be an increase in reporting....which you, from your post, obviously accepted IS the factual case, rather than the alternative, and more likely possibility, that there actually IS more rape.



posted on Jan, 27 2010 @ 05:38 PM
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See, this is my concern. That they present news in this way, because they know that many people, like you, process information linearly, and so accept each postulate that they add in the latter, rather than seeing the original statistic and what it may mean, and then draw the conclusion that they have led you to.



posted on Jan, 27 2010 @ 05:40 PM
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reply to post by pexx421
 

Where did I state that as fact?

I said that higher reporting rates IS a good thing.

That is not synonymous with saying that rape crimes are going down or going up.



ETA:
However, I agree that it could mean that instances are increasing. It could mean that the military is implementing procedures that enable more people to willingly report. It could mean just about anything because as we know, the statistics can be manipulated to present any picture that one wishes. There just isn't any real way to know what's truly happening and why... based on statistics alone.




[edit on 27-1-2010 by LadySkadi]



posted on Jan, 27 2010 @ 05:52 PM
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So out of that 1/3rd, how many are actual rapes? Like forced sexual encounters?

See lets NOT overlook the FALSE claims, the MORNING AFTER REGRET claims, the OH SHOOT MY REAL BF/HUSBAND IS GONNA FIND OUT claims, etc....and YES these do take place....A LOT!!! When I was an MP it ended up a FALSE report/alligation more than once.

Having been deployed 3 times in my years of service I never saw or had run ins with this type behavior...does it happn, sadly yes...as much as NPR says..not sure, but I would be willing to bet that percentage is based on JUST alligations alone....

TO ADD: If we started convicting the liars and scum who are out there to just ruin men on false BS...and punish them SEVERLY...maybe then...the real victims of this horrible crime can come forward and get better results. It always blew my mind how womens groups never really went after their fellow woman for false accusations....

[edit on 1/27/2010 by rcwj1975]



posted on Jan, 27 2010 @ 06:02 PM
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You'd have to prove it was untrue to convict.

Otherwise, you'd punish people for reporting what they cannot prove but isn't wrong. Just because something cannot be proved, or proved within the standards of law, doesn't make it untrue.

And that's your problem with that VERY popular diatribe.



posted on Jan, 27 2010 @ 06:16 PM
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reply to post by Aeons
 


I agree...deal with it everday! But we DO have times where we can prove it. We can show that she is lying or being deceitful, have gotten them to admit to it being a sham and they WON'T prosecute, or get a slap on the wrist for false statements....yet I have seen men raked over the coals in the media, in the city, by people in general even after it WAS PROVEN he didn't rape her...the alligation itself is punishment to a man.



posted on Jan, 27 2010 @ 10:18 PM
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What a horrendous state of affairs.



posted on Jan, 27 2010 @ 10:25 PM
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I feel bad for those women. I was in the army over 20 years ago and even back then I didn't think it was a good idea for woment to be there.

Call me old fashioned, but something about women in an evironment where you are trained to kill just doesn't sit right with me.

I'm all for equality, but men and women just can't be equal in everything. It'll never happen.



Peace



posted on Jan, 27 2010 @ 10:28 PM
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The symptoms continue to be debated, but there are only 2 solutions. I hate to repeat myself, but there is nothing else to debate in my mind.

1) Remove women from the military outside of medical staff not in combat zones and dental practices not in combat zones. That might even be too many of them.

2) Simply create 1 uniform standard that all PEOPLE must pass in order to be admitted and do not bar women from serving in any respect. It would be essential to increase the percentage of females serving in the military.

In the second option, it would be critical to destroy American gender culture so you would have to force the issue until the American people caught up (same way they did it with race). The first option is easier by simply removing the opportunity (women).

That is the debate, not what is causing it. We know what causes it.

[edit on 27-1-2010 by KrazyJethro]



posted on Jan, 27 2010 @ 10:44 PM
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For the record, I do have respect for those who serve in the military, both men and women, they sacrfice much for all who live in the country.
There are several aspects that I do not believe is covered here, one is that the military is a violent society, the men are trained to kill, it is their job. When you combine that with the lack of sex for months on end, and then intergrate that in with women, this is bound to happen. I am not going to excuse their actions for rape, but I am surprised that more does not happen.



posted on Jan, 27 2010 @ 10:46 PM
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Of all the women whom I have known to serve, none have been raped, nor do any of the men who I know in uniform ever take part in such activities. This is yet another overhyped "Fear the Military" garbage report, which attempts to make warzone service members appear depraved, as if they're existing within some lunatic fringe of society. Does rape within the MIL happen? I am 100% certain that it does, but I do not believe that it is anywhere near as prevalent as this NPR report makes it out to be.



posted on Jan, 27 2010 @ 10:48 PM
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Originally posted by rcwj1975
So out of that 1/3rd, how many are actual rapes? Like forced sexual encounters?

See lets NOT overlook the FALSE claims, the MORNING AFTER REGRET claims, the OH SHOOT MY REAL BF/HUSBAND IS GONNA FIND OUT claims, etc....and YES these do take place....A LOT!!! When I was an MP it ended up a FALSE report/alligation more than once.
[edit on 1/27/2010 by rcwj1975]


Agreed. People are so quick to jump on their moral high-horse that they ignore whether the statistics reported are factual. I would be willing to bet that statistic is an exaggeration. It does happen and the behaviour should be swiftly condemned and help & support given to the victim.

I wonder what the statistics are like in other regions of the world? You know, countries that don't have databases recording the prevalence of rape. Cultures that do not show respect and dignity towards women.

Don't think we will be hearing about those any time soon.




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