This Really Ticks Me Off!!!

According to a study by Helen Benedict, a professor at Columbia University, more than 70 percent of the female members of the US Military have faced sexual harassment by the men with whom they serve. Nearly one-third of those same females have been sexually assaulted or raped by their fellow service members. (More info here.)

This is appalling!!! These women are out there serving their country and this is what they can look forward to?!?!?! It's not enough that they are willing to be in some deplorable conditions the same as the men are, but they have to deal with that type of behavior on a daily basis too? It's especially egregious when you consider that it's coming from the very same people they *should* be able to, and might *HAVE TO* trust with their lives!

Not that they face any better treatment once they come home. Given the constant harassment and/or assault from the people they've been serving with, it's not surprising that the women who are returning from hotspots today are exhibiting more incidences of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder than ever before. Even when the problem is acknowledged, the Dept of Veteran's Affairs is woefully more unprepared to deal with the women troops who have come home and suffer from PTSD than they are even with the men who suffer from the same problem (and we know that that's bad enough.)

Don't get me wrong. I am deeply indebted to the men who serve our country and put themselves on the line. I am ALSO indebted to the servicewomen who put themselves on the line!!! It's unfortunate that these women have to put up with second-class treatment like that s part of their daily lives. Given the preponderance of such incidences, it's pretty clear that the powers that be are turning a blind eye to it/are allowing it, or at a minimum are not doing what it takes to let it be known that it is unacceptable and will not be tolerated.

I wish I could say I was surprised; however, I have spent enough time around some military institutions to have witnessed the "Boys will be boys" attitude rear its ugly head more than once. I've even experienced it first-hand on a minor level when I was teaching at a military institution: the respect afforded to my co-teacher by some of my students was SIGNIFICANTLY more than I was afforded strictly because I am a female. The vast majority of the students were wonderful/appropriate and made the classes fun to teach; some of them were genuinely interested while others really weren't, but since it was mandatory were going to make the best of it & try to enjoy it. But there were always that minority who didn't want to be there & made that clear. Except, if it was my co-teacher teaching, they still participated albeit grudgingly & didn't give him any grief about it. If it was me teaching, however, they didn't feel the need to do so, or to hide the fact that they weren't participating. And it wasn't just the students -- the training officer (our contact/person who hired us & set up the classes) witnessed some of the disrespect, but thought it was hilarious. His only comment was, "Someone's got a crush on the teacher," as opposed to telling the student his behavior was unacceptable. Thus, I have no problem believing the numbers reported are accurate.

With incidence numbers in the 70+ percentage range, this is clearly a SYSTEMIC problem. The attitude that even a single incident is acceptable has to change before any meaningful change can take place. We are in the 21st century; if only certain parts of our society weren't stuck in the 17th!