“A women in the military is more likely to be raped by a fellow soldier than killed by enemy fire in Iraq” (Myers). That is a horrifying statement to hear. The fact that women who are overseas fighting for our country, are constantly faced with the fear of being killed in combat, in addition to being sexually assaulted by their fellow soldiers, is an indication that change needs to be implemented. In the article “A Peril in War Zones: Sexual Abuse by Fellow G.I.’s” by Steven Lee Myers, we are presented with the continual struggle that many women in the army face. Although this article is from the end of 2009, the issue of sexual assault and discrimination in the military is still pertinent today, as emphasized by the Senates recent block on the repeal of the military’s “Don’t Ask Don’t Tell” policy earlier this month. The role of women serving in the military is a type of embedded sexism that leads us to believe the illusion that if women are capable and permitted to fight alongside men, the goals of feminism have been accomplished.
In Steven Meyer’s article he argues that with the increasing acceptance of women serving in the military and occupying positions previously held by men, the military is confronted with having to deal with issues that arise from men and women working side by side each other (Myers). Although actions have been taken in order to deal with the issue of sexual assault within the military “the majority of sexual abuse allegations end with no prosecution at all” (Myers). Despite the lack of successful prosecutions, the number of reported sexual assault cases has been increasing dramatically over recent years. Meyers points out that the poor conditions that men are subjected to during war can create or even increase the risk of sexual assault of women. Additionally, “some military personnel indicated that predators may believe they will not be held accountable for their misconduct during deployment because commanders’ focus on the mission overshadows other concerns” (Meyers). Although war is a very serious time, it should not mean that instances of sexual assault are pushed to the side.
Unfortunately this is how some women who are assaulted view the circumstances as well. Captain White, who was repeatedly stalked and assaulted by a warrant officer, stated that she had feared coming forward because she feared disrupting the “tight knit military world” and the mission (Meyers). Another major fear that women had was that their accusations would not be taken seriously, and coming forward would only prove to be detrimental for their careers. For Sgt. Tracey R. Phillips that was exactly the case. She reported an incident of sexual assault and was later released from serving in the Army, while the person whom she had accused remained in Iraq (Meyers). With these common repercussions of reporting sexual assault it is no wonder that the percentage of reported sexual assaults in the military is about ten percent less than those reported in the civilian world (Meyers). As the country depends “more than ever on women when the nation goes to war” (Meyers) it would appear that the gender gap between men and women in the military is lessening. However, the common occurrence of sexual assault is proof that this is not true.
I think that one of the major issues that we struggle with when thinking about women serving in the military is that their role surpasses what we would commonly view as ‘feminine.’ These women are expected to take up arms right alongside men and fight as though they were all one. However, off the battlefield they are struggling because they are still finding that they have no voice. Women are striving to fit in as one and “sexual assault in the military breaks this bond” (Myers). It is as though men are reaffirming that they are the ones with power, and to ensure that women do not forget that. As Douglas says when referring to ‘female warriors’: “there is a heightened ever-present nervousness about gender roles, the danger of female power, and the pathos of emasculated men” (Douglas 56). It appears that women who are active participants in the military are challenging the constraints of gender roles, which can be viewed as a reason for concern.
This fear of female power is then transformed into degrading actions toward women. “Senior Pentagon officials argued that the increase in reports did not necessarily signify a higher number of attacks. Rather, they said there is not a greater awareness as well as an improved command climate, encouraging more victims to come forward” (Meyers). I have to disagree with this statement, however. Meyers states in his article that one woman did not report an act of harassment because “she feared that her commanders would have reacted harshly toward her” (Meyers). This act of keeping quiet reminds me of Ellen Neuborne’s article “Imagine My surprise” when she submits to a sexist remark by being silent (Neuborne 182). For women in the military, by not reporting acts of sexual assault, they are allowing it to continue. However as Neuman points out “When you are told you are causing trouble, and you regret having raised conflict, that’s your programming” (Neuborne 183). It appears as though the military women have been programmed to not speak up, since they have seen what happens to women who do. In addition to the forced silence that women in the military feel, they are kept from reporting sexual assault cases for fear of what the ramifications will be. It is not only as though they are programmed to not file complaints but subtly threatened. We have the misunderstanding that women have equal rights as men, since they are allowed to participate in the army. But is participating without a voice true participation? I do not think so.
As Douglas notes we believe that “because women are now ‘equal’ and the battle is over and we won, we are now free to embrace things we used to see as sexist” (Doulgas 12). We can see this thought behavior in some of the commanders in the army. Meyers states that the military’s attempts to change have sometimes been undermined by commanders who are “fearful that reports of abuse reflect badly on their commands” (Meyers). The message that they are conveying is that sexual assault is not a serious enough issue for them to risk being viewed as incompetent over. Additionally, the fact that “the majority of sexual abuse allegations end with no prosecution at all” is even more evidence that women’s rights are no longer viewed as an urgent issue. The military has modified articles to extend the Uniform Code of Military Justice to include more than just rape, but if little is going to be done to enforce acts then it is as though they do not exist at all.
Although the military has presented women with the appropriate resources for dealing with sexual assault cases, they are usually prevented from utilizing them. There are a number of invisible forces acting on them that keep women from reaching out to the much needed support systems. For women who feel like they cannot report cases of sexual assault, they are being forced to deal with the “emotional strains that sexual abuse causes” (Meyers) in addition to the already stressful conditions of being deployed. It is as Smith claims, “I was starving emotionally because in the midst of professional success, I’d found social disconnection and loneliness” (Smith 283). These women, having earned their way into the Army, were being forced to seclude themselves, in fear of their own safety. Captain White stopped drinking water at night, because she was too worried about running into the sexual predator out at night (Meyers).
It is clear that a change to the system is in order. As the women wrote in the “Declaration of Sentiments, Seneca Falls Conference, 1848” it is the duty of the people whose rights are being neglected to over throw such rule (Declaration). That is what the women who are being assaulted need to do. They need to speak up against their abusers and utilize the systems that have been put in place to help them. Sexual abuse is not an issue that only affects women, but a small percentage of men as well. By being silent, those individuals are allowing their predators to attack again. For Captain White, the reason her story came out was because her abuser was charged with 19 offenses against individuals. The only way to bring about change is to actively seek it.
Works Cited
Douglas, Susan J. Enlightened Sexism. New York: Times Books, 2010. Print.
Meyers, Steven Lee. “A Peril in War Zones: Sexual ABuse by Fellow G.I.’s.” The New York TImes 28 Dec. 2009: n. pag. Web. 28 Sept. 2010.
“Modern History Sourcebook: The Declaration of Sentiments, Seneca Falls Conference, 1848.” 1848. Delaration.
Neuborne, Ellen. “Imagine My Surprise.” Listen Up. Ed. Barbara Findlen. Emery: Seal Press, 2001. 182-187. Print.
Smith, Taigi. “This Place Called Home.” Listen Up. Ed. Barbara Findlen. Emeryville: Seal Press, 2001. 281-287. Print.
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