Sex War

Below is a question and answer about the specifics of sexual harassment in the military using the article from Huffington Post, “The Unspoken Sex War Thriving in Our Military.”

Q: Are women more affected than men when it comes to sexual harassment?

A: With the situation being so silent there is no way to tell exactly how many sexual assaults have occurred over the years in the military. “More than 50 sexual assaults occurred per day between October 2010 and September 2011, with women being the most common victims and high-ranking men the most likely perpetrators.” The men are not necessarily never victims, but unfortunately women are the common target. While there are not many women compared to men in the military, in 2011 there were approximately 203,000 women in service. Tragically, “one third of our female military personnel say they have fallen victim to this invisible wound.” If you do the math, that is around 67,666 women who have been pushed past their limits. Yes, women are more affected than men.

Q: What is happening to these innocent women?

A: These women feel as if they are to blame for this disgusting crime because of what our culture says. “They explain how the belief that they "asked for it" permeates through every discussion with the military officials tasked to tackle the MST problem.” What nobody realizes is the true feelings these individuals face every day. They are sleep deprived and suffering through an intense feeling of shame. The women “describe a numbness that radiates through every aspect of their daily life, preventing them from experiencing emotions freely.” The victims need support in this time of pain but they are being forced to deal with it on their own.