Raped or Not?

Article: “Son, Men Don’t Get Raped.” from GQ Magazine, written by Nathaniel Penn.

Key Passages

1. “Sexual assault is alarmingly common in the U.S. military, and more than half of the victims are men. According to the Pentagon, thirty-eight military men are sexually assaulted every single day. These are the stories you never hear—because the culprits almost always go free, the survivors rarely speak, and no one in the military or Congress has done enough to stop it.”

Analysis: This statistic is alarming and people definitely do not understand what is going on behind the military walls. I think this shows that military personnel feel as if they have so much power, rationalizing this cruel act in their mind. The victims of these crimes are too afraid to speak because no one is taking the action to stop the risk. If the military or Congress was willing to put in an effort to stop this from happening, stories would be told and culprits would be arrested.

2. “The moment a man enlists in the United States armed forces, his chances of being sexually assaulted increase by a factor of ten. Women, of course, are much more likely to be victims of military sexual trauma (MST), but far fewer of them enlist. In fact, more military men are assaulted than women—nearly 14,000 in 2012 alone. Prior to the repeal of "Don't ask, don't tell" in 2011, male-on-male-rape victims could actually be discharged for having engaged in homosexual conduct. That's no longer the case—but the numbers show that men are still afraid to report being sexually assaulted.

Analysis: I think this passage shows the strength and bravery it takes to join the army. With statistics like this, showing your chances of sexual assault go up by a huge amount when you join the army,  it is shocking that so many people still inlist. This paragraph is trying to inform that men and women are both targeted for this crime. Unfortunately there is still so much wrong going on in the military, but this passage shows there was a positive change. Men no longer get discharged for getting raped.

3. “An overpowering shame prevents many enlisted men from reporting an assault—a sense that they must somehow be complicit in what has happened to them. Straight men often question their own sexual orientation, while gay men may struggle to find intimacy in relationships because they don't trust other men (or their own judgment). Telling the secret ruptures families and friendships. So does not telling.”

Analysis: This passage shows the emotional toll that sexual assaults take on people. With the already judgmental world and military, it can be extremely taboo to talk about a situation like this. The emotional struggle is already extreme that they are dealing with being sexually assaulted, while now they struggle with relationships and individuality.