Women in the Military: What Rapists Don't Understand

You've come a long way, baby, to get where you've got to today,” was a popular slogan back in the 1970’s. Today, these words are understood and appreciated. When we look around today, we see female Supreme Court justices; CEO’s and now head of the U.S. Secret Service. We see women in top-ranking military positions and sometimes wonder how they did it. Women hold prominent positions in every walk of life. Yet, women are still not appreciated by males who insist on inequality. In the workplace, especially in our military, women face grave injustices as they struggle to become officers or begin civilian careers.

In the general civilian population, domestic violence seems to be more prevalent but how prevalent would it be if we didn’t hear from the likes of Dr. Phil or Dr. Drew? But there are no spokesmen for women in the military. Today, one in four women will be sexually assaulted in the military. An estimated 19,000 sex crimes take place each year. Many of those abused are males, and these incidents happen in the same proportion as in the general, civilian population. For women, however, the rate of sexual abuse in the military is much higher than in the civilian population. According to a discussion on National Public Radio (NPR), military women have said, “You don’t only have to worry about the enemy; you have to worry about fellow soldiers.”

What is it about equality that these abusers and rapists don’t understand? Equality means exactly that—being equal, and equals don’t molest or abuse each other because they cannot. Yet, some men in the military and in the general civilian population walk with a sense of entitlement which assures they are “entitled” to have anything or anyone and do anything without consequences. Some even joke, “Rape is part of the job description” (NPR).

But how can it be? Women perform many of the same duties and excel in their work positions equally with men. They come home exhausted after a long day’s work, just like their male counterparts, and they probably work harder than many males to complete certain tasks. They might even endure more negativity on the job because some men still feel a woman’s place is in the home and the military is simply no place for a “dame.”

Despite excellence in the workplace, the old adage still holds true: “A man works from sun to sun, but a woman’s work is never done.” Her day doesn’t necessarily end at the end of the work day. She never knows when an assault might happen.

If a woman in the military finds herself isolated, she has much to fear. A woman is not safe in her workplace or in her neighborhood after hours.

For many women who are targeted and become victims of officers and comrades, it’s a matter of eternal damnation—damned whether you do or don’t because while rape is a dehumanizing crime against a fellow soldier, “whistle-blowers” are hated by all, and the military is just not the place to be hated. Whistle-blowing might be the right thing to do, but it’s not the smartest thing.

Reporting abuse, violence, or even rape is looked at with suspicion and it’s often difficult to prove. Too often, the woman is blamed and humiliated, so when a female soldier is targeted and violated, she is often on her own. Once she is alienated, she becomes a target for even more abuse by males. She has often heard stories of women who talked, and most are no longer part of the military, so she is even more afraid to talk.

In cases when the abuse is reported to a commanding officer, the usual suggestion is that the woman keep quiet, even if her superior officer is another female. This increases feelings of helplessness and victimization. Diminished self-esteem, feelings of helplessness and alienation assures she will become victim of more sex predators. She is often raped multiple times by a superior or by different individuals as she seeks alternatives, resources and support.

Because not all women become targets of abuse, other women often doubt the validity of the victim’s story. Also, they often seek to disassociate themselves from someone so weak and helpless. But women victimized in the military are usually professional and accomplished in their duties and have hopes for a great career. They often need their jobs, lack viable alternatives, or have much to lose. They often come from dysfunctional family support systems and feel that the military is their best chance for success. Because of their vulnerability and desire to keep their positions, they easily become the ones targeted. Other women in the military might avoid a victim of abuse or rape due to fears of retaliation by male counterparts.

Women in the military need mentors, but all too often mentors do not exist.

The military is presently addressing the problem of abuse, rape and violence against women among the ranks, and women are becoming less afraid to help a “sister” in need, but women in the military need to become mentors and maintain a network of support. Whether in the military or on civilian jobs, too many women are standing by, silently watching their sisters go down fighting without lending a helping hand. Women are to be commended for the progress they’ve made, and yes, women have “come a long way.” But it’s not far enough, not in the military or within civilian communities.

I sometimes wonder who is to blame for such abuse and denigration of women in the military and why, even in the present day of equal rights under the law, women are still persecuted because of their desire, willingness and ability to work side by side with men. When will America say, “Enough is enough” to men who still don’t understand or refuse to accept the contribution that women make in the military and in the world? 
(c) M.D. Johnson (2013)