The U.S. military surge in sexual assaults

Started by outdoors, May 13, 2013, 04:33 AM

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outdoors

In the U.S. military, there were 26,000 sexual assaults last year alone

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Deep in the weeds of the Pentagon's response to a lawsuit detailing a nasty list of sex crimes perpetrated against several women in uniform is a phrase that neatly sums up the U.S. military's view of why civilian courts have no business considering such accusations.

"There can be no question," says the Pentagon's legal brief last year, that the rapes and assaults were "incident to the military service" of the women involved.

In other words, they go with the job.

The District Court for the District of Columbia agreed, and tossed out the suit.
Watch 'The Invisible War,' a Oscar-nominated documentary about the epidemic of rape within the U.S. military.
http://www.cbc.ca/passionateeye/episode/invisible-war.html  Runs 1:25:40


For public consumption, of course, the Pentagon's line on sexual assaults in the service is rather more sympathetic.

It portrays military justice as a rigorous mirror of the civilian system, and says all the right things about the topic.

"Sexual assault is a crime that has no place in the Department of Defence," declares the first sentence of the U.S. military's latest annual report on the subject, released last week.

The facts suggest otherwise.

Using anonymous internal questionnaires, the Pentagon itself calculates there were 26,000 sexual assaults, ranging from rape to abusive sexual contact, against soldiers, male and female, in 2012.

That's an average of over 70 a day, and an increase of about 35 per cent over the previous two years.

Military authorities "routinely and systemically fail to catch predators," says Susan Burke, the D.C. lawyer who, out of sheer frustration, filed the civil suit on behalf of the 12 plaintiffs that was thrown out in District Court. "And most predators are serial offenders, so of course you have a serially growing predation problem."


lots more...

http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2013/05/10/f-rfa-macdonald-military-sexual-assaults.html

outdoors

False reports outpace sex assaults in the military

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'False complaints of sexual abuse in the military are rising at a faster rate than overall reports of sexual assault, a trend that could harm combat readiness, analysts say.
Virtually all media attention on a Pentagon report last week focused on an increase in service members' claims of sexual abuse in an anonymous survey, but unmentioned were statistics showing that a significant percentage of such actually investigated cases were baseless.
From 2009 to 2012, the number of sexual abuse reports rose from 3,244 to 3,374 -- a 4 percent increase.


http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2013/may/12/false-reports-outpace-sex-assaults-in-the-military/


Captain Courageous

#2
May 16, 2013, 07:28 PM Last Edit: May 16, 2013, 07:30 PM by Captain Courageous
Feminist dogma says the only real differences between men and women consist of a bunch of social constructs. We know this is bogus theory. The proof?

They claim to be just as good at actual combat as men ... if only these men would just stop raping them all the damned time.
:cyclo:

They are looking for one thing and one thing only .... fast, slick, weasely promotions to positions where they can boss the men around. This current feminist canard is their meal ticket. They are merely trying to pull off their usual manipulation:

Remove their superiors via contrived scandal, then set up a feminist bastion of androphobia, gynocentrism and radical misandry .... all in the name of righteous equality.

outdoors


Feminist dogma says the only real differences between men and women consist of a bunch of social constructs. We know this is bogus theory. The proof?

They claim to be just as good at actual combat as men ... if only these men would just stop raping them all the damned time.
:cyclo:

They are looking for one thing and one thing only .... fast, slick, weasely promotions to positions where they can boss the men around. This current feminist canard is their meal ticket. They are merely trying to pull off their usual manipulation:

Remove their superiors via contrived scandal, then set up a feminist bastion of androphobia, gynocentrism and radical misandry .... all in the name of righteous equality.




"uhm.....you want me to do what?"

"What I ordered you to do"

"No,or else thats sexual harrassment"

__________________

"Am I going to get that promotion?"

"no"

"yes I am or thats sexual harrassment"

CaptDMO

I seem to recall SOMEBODY saying "Uh, it MIGHT be a bad idea to inject da' wimmins into the military. This was well before SOMEBODY decided unmerited promotions, a la Title IX,
were um suggested as a "cure".

Well, we've now seen that "injecting" women into positions of power proves that they are up to the task as well as any man, just without the actual consequences for their actions bit. Strangely, of the dead and wounded of folk actually EARNING my tax dollars in Bengazi, I'm not seeing any girlies of the "diplomatic" ilk (long open to them) exposure to actual harms way.

Well... there WERE those alleged snipers Hillory "reported" she had to take cover from on her "tarmac" office.

Quote
From 2009 to 2012, the number of sexual abuse reports rose from 3,244 to 3,374 -- a 4 percent increase.
Of course this somehow mathmatically PROVES that there were ACTUALLY 33,740 Forceable RAPES, according to (fill in the blank).
Any word on how many "reports"(does that mean accusations?)were clearly unfounded, or proved false and/or malicious?
Any word on the number of women dishonorably ejected from the military for demonstrably/serial false accusations?

Any word on the number of financial "settlements" awarded?   

neoteny


Any word on how many "reports"(does that mean accusations?)were clearly unfounded, or proved false and/or malicious?
Any word on the number of women dishonorably ejected from the military for demonstrably/serial false accusations?

Any word on the number of financial "settlements" awarded?   


You are found guilty of committing ThoughtCrime; report to the nearest branch of the Ministry of Love, where you will be reeducated to correctly apply CrimeStop to yourself.
The spreading of information about the [quantum] system through the [classical] environment is ultimately responsible for the emergence of "objective reality." 

Wojciech Hubert Zurek: Decoherence, einselection, and the quantum origins of the classical

outdoors

Thousands of military sex abuse victims seek disability, health care after leaving service

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WASHINGTON -- New government figures underscore the staggering long-term consequences of U.S. military sexual assaults: More than 85,000 veterans were treated last year for injuries or illness linked to the abuse, and 4,000 sought disability benefits.

The Department of Veterans Affairs' accounting, released in response to inquiries from The Associated Press, shows a heavy financial and emotional cost that affects several generations of veterans and lasts long after a victim leaves the service. Sexual assault or repeated sexual harassment can trigger a variety of health problems, primarily post-traumatic stress disorder and depression. While women are more likely to be victims, men made up nearly 40 per cent of the patients the VA treated for conditions connected to what it calls "military sexual trauma."

It took years for Ruth Moore of Milbridge, Maine, to begin getting treatment from a VA counsellingcentre in 2003 -- 16 years after she was raped twice while she was stationed in Europe with the Navy. She continues to get counselling at least monthly for PTSD linked to the attacks and is also considered fully disabled.

"We can't cure me, but we can work on stability in my life and work on issues as they arrive," Moore said.

VA officials stress that any veteran who claims to have suffered military sexual trauma has access to free health care.

"It really is the case that a veteran can simply walk through the door, say they've had this experience, and we will get them hooked up with care. There's no documentation required. They don't need to have reported it at the time," said Dr. Margret Bell, a member of the VA's military sexual trauma team.

However, the hurdles are steeper for those who seek disability compensation -- too steep for some veterans groups and lawmakers who support legislation designed to make it easier for veterans to get a monthly disability payment.

"Right now, the burden of proof is stacked against sexual trauma survivors," said Anu Bhagwati, executive director of the Service Women's Action Network. "Ninety per cent of 26,000 cases last year weren't even reported. So where is that evidence supposed to come from?"

Defence Secretary Chuck Hagel has said reducing the incidence of sexual assaults in the military is a top priority. But it's a decades-old problem with no easy fix, as made even more apparent when an Air Force officer who headed a sexual assault prevention office was arrested recently on sexual battery charges.

"We will not stop until we've seen this scourge, from what is the greatest military in the world, eliminated," Obama said after summoning top Pentagon officials to the White House last week to talk about the problem. "Not only is it a crime, not only is it shameful and disgraceful, but it also is going to make and has made the military less effective than it can be."

The VA says 1 in 5 women and 1 in 100 men screen positive for military sexual trauma, which the VA defines as "any sexual activity where you are involved against your will." Some report that they were victims of rape, while others say they were groped or subjected to verbal abuse or other forms of sexual harassment.

But not all those veterans seek health care or disability benefits related to the attacks. The 85,000 who sought outpatient care linked to military sexual trauma during the latest fiscal year are among nearly 22 million veterans around the country.

The VA statistics underscore that the problems for victims of sexual abuse do not end when someone leaves the service.

Psychological issues, including PTSD, depression and anxiety, are most common, according to the agency. Victims also can develop substance abuse problems.



Lots,lots more....http://www.theprovince.com/news/Thousands+military+abuse+victims+seek+disability+health+care+after+leaving+service/8409619/story.html#ixzz2TreEm4M8

neoteny

So I'm reading a Congressional report from 1946 about military justice (INVESTIGATIONS OF THE NATIONAL WAR EFFORT) when I come across this:

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Bringing charges of rape against American soldiers became a sort of racket among some portions of the populace in the European theater, and it is believed that numerous convictions of innocent soldiers took place because courts too amiably accepted dubious identifications in the interest of discipline in general or of maintaining the good name of the Army among liberated or conquered people.

I guess today no Congressional staffer would dare to write such a thing in a report for fear of being labeled to be supportive of the "rape culture".
The spreading of information about the [quantum] system through the [classical] environment is ultimately responsible for the emergence of "objective reality." 

Wojciech Hubert Zurek: Decoherence, einselection, and the quantum origins of the classical

zarbyman


I think John "insane" McCain came out strong in support of this allegation.

Obviously, some of the allegations are true.  However, a lot of them aren't.  The damage to the guy who is falsely accused is as bad or worse than the damage to a woman who is raped (assuming no serious permanent injury, and a lot of rape does not involve any violence or injury at all).

Society used to have rules that both sexes knew. Women and men both didn't put themselves in certain situations. These rules protected both sexes.  The feminists started calling these rules sexist which I suppose in one sense they were but they were rules that made sense.

The feminists attack these rules to such an extreme bizarre extent. You have they saying that a woman should be allowed to walk around half (or completely) naked and that is totally irrelevant. That just ignores reality. A guy who sees a smile and a naked woman interprets that as an indication of consent.

You now have a situation where nearly everything that could be evidence of consent is deemed "irrelevant" (at least a large portion).  I for example think sexual history is relevant. It is not conclusive but it is irrelevant. A woman should not be allowed to to give signals that she is available and then cry foul when a guy takes her up on those signals.

Of course, if there is violence, force that is something different. But, a woman is giving off all kinds of signals that she is available. There is no physical violence and no physical resistance. She just decides it was rape "in her mind."  That is not fair.  It just isn't fair.


dr e


Hey Zarbyman!  How you doing?  Good to see you.




I think John "insane" McCain came out strong in support of this allegation.

Obviously, some of the allegations are true.  However, a lot of them aren't.  The damage to the guy who is falsely accused is as bad or worse than the damage to a woman who is raped (assuming no serious permanent injury, and a lot of rape does not involve any violence or injury at all).

Society used to have rules that both sexes knew. Women and men both didn't put themselves in certain situations. These rules protected both sexes.  The feminists started calling these rules sexist which I suppose in one sense they were but they were rules that made sense.

The feminists attack these rules to such an extreme bizarre extent. You have they saying that a woman should be allowed to walk around half (or completely) naked and that is totally irrelevant. That just ignores reality. A guy who sees a smile and a naked woman interprets that as an indication of consent.

You now have a situation where nearly everything that could be evidence of consent is deemed "irrelevant" (at least a large portion).  I for example think sexual history is relevant. It is not conclusive but it is irrelevant. A woman should not be allowed to to give signals that she is available and then cry foul when a guy takes her up on those signals.

Of course, if there is violence, force that is something different. But, a woman is giving off all kinds of signals that she is available. There is no physical violence and no physical resistance. She just decides it was rape "in her mind."  That is not fair.  It just isn't fair.


Contact dr e  Lifeboats for the ladies and children, icy waters for the men.  Women have rights and men have responsibilties.

Cysterhood

I love the 'logic' of this crap. These women are good enough to defend our countries but not good enough to defend themselves from sexual assault.
I'm mad.
I'm furious.
I've enough rage to fuel a thousand suns.

BRIAN

This is an attempt to generate a witch hunt. The fact is there aren't that many sexual assaults in the military. There are a lot of accusations that get proven false and unlike in the civilian world the false accusers are punished. What the RAD gems are pushing for is a situation where a man is automatically guilty on nothing more than the woman's word and there are no repercussions for perjury and false swearing.
You may sleep soundly at night because rough men stand ready to visit violence upon those who seek to harm you.

outdoors

Canadian Forces survey asks troops to shed light on sexual assault, harassment


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Results of an anonymous survey to be released in the fall by National Defence will shed more light on the extent of military sexual assault, including what has been called the silent crime of male-on-male rape.

Almost 68,000 troops, 86 per cent of them men, were asked last August to voluntarily complete the Canadian Forces Workplace Harassment Survey. It asks respondents their gender, years of service and rank, along with 100 questions ranging from personal harassment to whether they've ever been raped.

It's the first time the military has done such a survey since 1998.

Results could provide valuable insight into the extent of military sexual violence -- an issue that former soldiers and frontline social workers say is rarely reported.


lots more......

http://news.nationalpost.com/2013/06/09/canadian-forces-survey-asks-troops-to-shed-light-on-sexual-assault-harassment/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+NP_Top_Stories+%28National+Post+-+Top+Stories%29&utm_content=Google+International

outdoors

U.S. passes $638B defence bill imposing tough new penalties for military rape, sex assault


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WASHINGTON -- The House overwhelmingly passed a sweeping, $638-billion defence bill on Friday that imposes new punishments on members of the armed services found guilty of rape or sexual assault as outrage over the crisis in the military has galvanized Congress.

Ignoring a White House veto threat, the Republican-controlled House voted 315-108 for the legislation, which would block President Barack Obama from closing the U.S. detention facility at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, and limit his efforts to reduce nuclear weapons.

The House bill containing the provisions on sex-related crimes that the Obama administration supports as well as the detention policies that it vigorously opposes must be reconciled with a Senate version before heading to the president's desk. The Senate measure, expected to be considered this fall, is $13 billion less than the House bill -- a budgetary difference that also will have to be resolved.

The defence policy bill authorizes money for aircraft, weapons, ships, personnel and the war in Afghanistan in the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1.

Shocking statistics that as many as 26,000 military members may have been sexually assaulted last year and high-profile incidences at the service academies and in the ranks pushed lawmakers to tackle the growing problem of sexual assault. A single case of a commander overturning a conviction -- a decision that even Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel couldn't change -- drove a deliberate Congress to act swiftly.



Lots more............
http://news.nationalpost.com/2013/06/14/u-s-congress-passes-sweeping-defense-bill-that-imposes-new-penalties-for-military-rape-sexual-assault/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+NP_Top_Stories+%28National+Post+-+Top+Stories%29&utm_content=Google+International



I just gotta ask.....where the heck do you guy's get all this money?

neoteny

I just gotta ask.....where the heck do you guy's get all this money?

Roughly 2/3rd of it from taxes (which is paid by only half of those who file federal income tax returns) and the other roughly 1/3rd by borrowing.
The federal govt. spends $10 billion every day. So this defense budget is about 2 months' worth of federal spending -- or about 1/6th (16%) of the total federal budget.

It is lots of fun to watch the US Debt Clock.
The spreading of information about the [quantum] system through the [classical] environment is ultimately responsible for the emergence of "objective reality." 

Wojciech Hubert Zurek: Decoherence, einselection, and the quantum origins of the classical

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