Sexual harassment
Sexual harassment entails discrimination that involves unwelcome sexual advances and requests for sexual favors. Although acts of sexual harassment are unacceptable among military personnel, according to recent studies, a significant number of military personnel experience, harassment and discrimination. However, women and individuals from the minority ethnic groups have a higher likelihood of being involved in the disputes.
There exists a myriad of reasons on why sexual assault occurs in the military. One of the main reason is the leadership structure of the military. In the military, cases related to sexual assault are handled within the chain of command. This simply means, a military officer who holds a high position of power has the capability to intervene at any point of, to stop an ongoing investigation, reduce a sentence or even set aside a conviction. In a nutshell, Military leadership structure provides a strong incentive for commanders to avoid pursuing sexual assault allegations in their ranks. The fear of being labeled a troublemaker in the military is also another reason why cases of sexual harassment are prevalent in the forces. Individuals who are abused are afraid of facing the consequences of whistle-blowing from their colleagues and especially their seniors. As result, the offenders lack a deterrence which encourages them to keep on abusing their colleagues.
The current approach to training significantly reduces the risk of sexual harassment and assault in the military. An educated Army Community led by knowledgeable, informed Leaders are essential to establishing an effective climate of prevention. The military has come up with an approach that integrates sexual harassment and sexual assault training to address the issue of sexual harassment among the service men.
Individuals and especially the leaders in the military are taught about sexual assaults myths and facts thus fostering a preventive culture which ensures a safe reporting environment which makes it possible for the offenders to be held responsible for their actions. As result, potential offenders are discouraged from committing additional offences hence a reduction of sexual abuse cases in the military. Besides, the training of individuals on the dangers of sexual harassment in the initial stages of their military training is a proactive method that has played an essential role in the reduction of sexual offences.
Sharp training which is conducted in the military ensures that army values and self-discipline are promoted. As result, new recruits, women and individuals from minority ethnic groups who are at a higher risk of experiencing the harassment are able to work without the fear of facing any kind of harassment. The values taught also help move the new soldier from the inability to act in case of an eventuality to courage to act in ways consistent with Army Values. Therefore, new recruits are able to realize what is expected of them and tend to avoid situations that can jeopardize the safety of their colleagues hence reduced cases of sexual assault in the military.
In conclusion, the current approach to training has succeed in reducing the number of sexual assaults in the military. The enhanced training makes it possible for individuals to build a robust, professional and comprehensive response capability. Individuals are therefore able to report cases involving sexual assault hence deterring additional cases of sexual abuse in the military.