Sexual assaults in the army
Introduction
Sexual assaults in the army have been continually on the rise. According to a survey done on the number of sexual assault cases in the army, it was discovered that there had been a 50% increase in the number of cases in the last two years (Bernecker et al. 87). The survey mainly focused on the younger age bracket, implying that it was of soldiers who were new to the system. The report emphasized both genders in the army and determined that quite a large number have experienced sexual contact without their consent. These instances were characterized from touching to rape in general, at least 32 percent of US military women report to sexual assault cases and up to eighty percent sexually harassed. These statistics strongly show that this is a big problem in the army, and if it remains unsolved or ignored, we shall be moving in the wrong direction.
Body
One of the factors that can be seen to cause sexual assault in the military is the character of pathology. Many offenders can be seen to be thrill-seeking, arrogant, lack remorse, and have a sense of entitlement and therefore end up assaulting their fellow colleges at the army. If a person in the army is pathological, the risk of sexually assaulting another becomes high since the army environment may be somehow ‘supportive.’ This may also be the case; for instance, in a prison environment where a person though not sexually attracted to people of the same sex, the person can engage in rape behavior for the sole purpose of gratification oppression or domination.
The approach of training in the army reduces the risk of sexual assault. The current approach emphasizes team building and working together, and therefore it encourages people to come together as one (Rosellini et al. 667). The team building is expected to have an effect on the soldiers that of being accepted to a part of a community and how they can look after each other. They are expected to build trust among themselves, which may reduce the risk of sexual assault since there will be that sense of responsibility for the team members.
The military campaign against sexual assault mainly focuses on asking servicemen not to have sex with women when they are drunk. As a result, many people view that sexual assault happens only when people are drunk and therefore leads to ignorance, causing the number of cases to increase every year. For instance, the posters of last year that were distributed said that “ask her when she is sober,” which may not send a clear message since the soldiers are raped even when they are sober.
One of the ways that sexual violence in the military can be ended is through the measurement of not only the assault cases but also the measures that have been put in place to reduce the cases. More often than not, people focus on the number of cases and not the measures put in place, which is wrong since the focus should also be on the measures that ensure that the cases do not happen in the first place (Lofgreen et al. 415). Another way would be to hold all commanders accountable where enough pressure is on the commanders who will take the matter seriously, set standards for their juniors, and intervene when in need.
Conclusion
Sexual violence in the army has been an issue for a very long time. Statistics have increased the number of sexual assault cases in the last two years by 50%. The pathological nature of the individuals may mainly cause sexual violence in the army. An environment like that of the army provides a conducive environment for people with such behaviors. There is a need to show domination and power, and they do this by sexually assaulting their fellow soldiers. Measures such as focusing more on the solutions and not only the number of cases should be taken to ensure that this unacceptable behavior tackled.
Works Cited
Bernecker, Samantha L., et al. “Improving risk prediction accuracy for new soldiers in the US Army by adding self-report survey data to administrative data.” BMC Psychiatry 18.1 (2018): 87.
Lofgreen, Ashton M., et al. “An overview of sexual trauma in the US military.” Focus 15.4 (2017): 411-419.
Rosellini, Anthony J., et al. “Predicting sexual assault perpetration in the US Army using administrative data.” American journal of preventive medicine 53.5 (2017): 661-669.