15 percent of women in the military test positive for sexual trauma.
By on Jul 21st, 2008 at 6:19 pm
15 percent of women in the military test positive for sexual trauma.
New AP story reports on the troubling incidents of sexual assault and harassment of women in the military:
Of the women veterans from Iraq and Afghanistan who have walked into a VA facility, 15 percent have screened positive for military sexual trauma, The Associated Press has learned. That means they indicated that while on active duty they were sexually assaulted, raped, or were sexually harassed, receiving repeated unsolicited verbal or physical contact of a sexual nature.
Roughly 180,000 women have been deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan, and last year, the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) “treated more than 255,000 female veterans. The number is expected to double within five years.”
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45 Responses to “15 percent of women in the military test positive for sexual trauma.”
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I expect that number to rise exponentially.
July 21st, 2008 at 6:22 pmI wonder if billo has been visiting any military installations recently?
July 21st, 2008 at 6:28 pmThis is an awful shame on our armed forces. With our mercenaries running all over Iraq killing anyone they wish, I guess we should be grateful the number of victimized female soldiers isn't higher than it already is.
I wonder how our trolls can spin this to be good news for McCain=Bush.
July 21st, 2008 at 6:38 pm3. StratRat Says:
... I wonder how our trolls can spin this to be good news for McCain=Bush.
_____
Trolls tying it to gays in the military in 3 ... 2 ... 1 ....
July 21st, 2008 at 6:43 pmI hope not Zooey, the first exponential (180,000 squared) would result in 32,400,000,000 incidents, way out of the ballpark of doubling or even tripling in five years.
July 21st, 2008 at 6:44 pmSaint Augustine Says:
July 21st, 2008 at 6:44 pm
Significantly. :-)
July 21st, 2008 at 6:48 pmTanqueray: I am so glad that you understand the difference between undisciplined college students away from home and on their own for the first time and our military soldiers who have been highly trained and disciplined military force that is entrusted with the authority to use lethal force because of their adherence to the chain of command. Sounds more like the discipline of the military is breaking down because of its over extended mission.
July 21st, 2008 at 7:01 pmTanqueray Says:
July 21st, 2008 at 6:54 pm
I knew the troll would find a way to dismiss this issue.
Everybody else does it!!!!!!
July 21st, 2008 at 7:01 pmCheapGin Says:
Of course this type of crime only occurs in the American Military. Or not, hell they may be safer than being in college. But that doesn’t fit the agenda.
You do specialize in completely missing the point, don't you?
This is appalling whether it's in college or in the military.
July 21st, 2008 at 7:02 pmTanqueray Says:
Of course this type of crime only occurs in the American Military. Or not, hell they may be safer than being in college. But that doesn’t fit the agenda.
See I told you. Our trolls will use this as a way to benefit McCain=Bush. It took all of 24 minutes for our loser to spew his hatred of America and its military. 24 minutes!
Hopefuly your sister or mother is not one of the victims.
Your agenda is to try and stop wetting the bed on a nightly basis. How is that workin for ya? Got raingear?
July 21st, 2008 at 7:04 pmHow about it Faiz, does that work?
What would work best is if you either went away to where you are wanted (God only knows), or if Faiz noted your IP address and banned your existance here at TP.
Tell me, dismal. Does that work for you?
July 21st, 2008 at 7:11 pmWhen did progressives start condoning sexual crimes on college campuses, Tanq? Some people have the wrong idea about going to college, and we're not blind to their faulty judgment. Throw the frat boys off campus.
It looks as if you're overextending your hatred of higher education onto us. Way to go, moron.
July 21st, 2008 at 7:11 pmAnd how many of those guys doing this crap are listening to Falafel Pervert Billdo?
I was in the service during VN and to say the least, "most men are pigs", and things have not changed all that much since then.
July 21st, 2008 at 7:15 pmTanqueray, have you ever raped someone? Fess up.
July 21st, 2008 at 7:21 pmTanqueray: Terrorism happens every day in America. Yep. Every day there are rapes, sexual assaults and murders. This does not mean we illegally invade and occupy a country because of it.
July 21st, 2008 at 7:22 pmKayInMaine Says:
Tanqueray, have you ever raped someone? Fess up.
Only his Gerbil.
July 21st, 2008 at 7:23 pmThis is good news for McCain. Undoubtedly all the sex crimes in the military are not committed by Republicans - they're all on campuses.
July 21st, 2008 at 7:26 pmThat's right, Buckie Boy, and they don't understand that when one takes advantage of any female in a "feel good" moment without her consent, they're robbing her of psychological health, physical well-being and vocational development. This is best exemplified as they're competing on the tough career track in the military and completing their studies in an institution of higher learning. I read about this all the time, unfortunately.
How about more men turn on the progressive side of things and treat feminism as less of a pejorative term?
July 21st, 2008 at 7:26 pmI think Kay has one of the coolest blogs, and I love it when she finds a moment to post here.
July 21st, 2008 at 7:28 pmTanq, your side gives virtually no attention to protecting the sexual dignity of women (and boys!). Let the adults handle the conversation, and get off the notion that something contradictory exists with this thread.
July 21st, 2008 at 7:31 pm15% of 180,000 women who have served in Iraq is 27,000 that by the army's standards have been sexually traumatized.
Even at that it's still the smallest group of people to be collateral damage in this disasterous war.
27,000 women who should have been weekend warriors in their own neighborhood.
Fighting this war with guard and reserves mixed with young recruits was just brilliant wasn't it?
27,000 women who this should never have happened to.
For tang. At least the college girls can go to the authorities and have some semblance of hope that something might be done about it, not much but some. The women in the military have had none.
They have basically been told that putting up with the abuse is their patriotic duty. That to say anything would make the US military look bad.......no one in the military cares about this, obviously.
July 21st, 2008 at 7:33 pmThanks McWar! I love it when other liberals read my blog! Fun times. I love Think Progress too. I lurk here a lot, so sit up straight. LOL!
July 21st, 2008 at 7:35 pmthe military is a window into our society. Such high rape and violence statistics that are common here are unheard of in most industrialized countries.
July 21st, 2008 at 7:38 pmTanqueray Says:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Buckie Boy Says:
And how many of those guys doing this crap are listening to Falafel Pervert Billdo?
I don’t know, is Pervert Billdo a big hit on college campi?
How about you teach your boys to respect women and I’ll continue to teach my daughters and granddaughters not to trust your boys.
July 21st, 2008 at 7:26 pm
Like the kind of 'respect' your presidential candidate has consistently shown towards women , skid mark ?
You're an assbag ; you want to try and critique someone's behavior that posts here without the slightest clue about what and who they are in the real world , while trumpeting up the candidacy of a sexist , wrinkled old socially retarded nitwit.
BTW
You should be more concerned about your daughters and granddaughters (if they're of legal age) , being around me than someone's boys ; they'd spread their legs quicker than a prostitute hired by a GOP politician...........
July 21st, 2008 at 7:39 pmHonestly, women in our cities, towns, states, and in our military would be safer if neocons didn't exist.
July 21st, 2008 at 7:41 pmKayInMaine Says:
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Honestly, women in our cities, towns, states, and in our military would be safer if neocons didn’t exist.
July 21st, 2008 at 7:41 pm
As well as the IQ of the entire US population increasing dramatically........
July 21st, 2008 at 7:43 pmDoesn't help much when the commander in chief-wannabe gets all giggly about rape.
July 21st, 2008 at 7:44 pmLOL Exactly, McMetal. Can you imagine America being a country where conversations actually made sense instead of resorting to chest thumping, neck drooling, and lots of swearing? *daydreaming* It would be great.
*kicking neocons out of the country like a football*
July 21st, 2008 at 7:45 pmHussein McCain, I'm sure McTeleprompter finds his rape joke funny because it's a joke about brutal rape. See? There's a difference in McTeleprompter's head. *rolling eyes*
July 21st, 2008 at 7:46 pmKayInMaine Says:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
LOL Exactly, McMetal. Can you imagine America being a country where conversations actually made sense instead of resorting to chest thumping, neck drooling, and lots of swearing? *daydreaming* It would be great.
*kicking neocons out of the country like a football*
July 21st, 2008 at 7:45 pm
It would make zoos popular once again , as that would be the only place to be able to view monkey-shit fights , instead of on the GOP Channel , aka FAUX ...........
July 21st, 2008 at 7:52 pmZoos popular again! Bah hahahahahahahahahah, McMetal! Exactly. Tang, you gotta zoo cage picked out yet?
July 21st, 2008 at 7:56 pm"they’d spread their legs quicker than a prostitute hired by a GOP politician……" ~ McMetal
Good gawd. This reminds me of the time the GOPers hired male & female prostitutes for their little parties at the Watergate Hotel!
July 21st, 2008 at 7:59 pmTanqueray Says:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MCMetal Says:
BTW
You should be more concerned about your daughters and granddaughters (if they’re of legal age) , being around me than someone’s boys ; they’d spread their legs quicker than a prostitute hired by a GOP politician………..
Wow!! I’m impressed, you’re really that good? What’s your secret? Do Kay and Zooey know about your prowess?
July 21st, 2008 at 7:54 pm
My "secret" is that I am not a GOP backing sycophant suckhole stooge.......
BTW
You're "impressed" by walking fecal matter such as Chimpy and McSame ; so , who gives a damn what impressess your tiny little mind , shitstain ?
July 21st, 2008 at 8:21 pm21. I agree with you there, Tanq, 100%.
July 21st, 2008 at 8:58 pmNeocons are never a gift to women. Evah.
July 21st, 2008 at 9:18 pmTanqueray Says:
How about you teach your boys to respect women and I’ll continue to teach my daughters and granddaughters not to trust your boys.
July 21st, 2008 at 7:26 pm
My sons already respect women. After all, they were raised by me.
It would help if you taught your daughters to respect themselves.
July 21st, 2008 at 10:02 pmSelf-respect, mutual respect, I can respect that.
July 21st, 2008 at 10:41 pmJim Wilke Says:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Nice talk. Notice that when you run out of weapons, you can always resort to namecalling.
The audacity of present.
July 21st, 2008 at 8:49 pm
As opposed to lying , knowingly and unceasingly , you like you GOP/Chimpy nut hugging tools do...........
July 21st, 2008 at 10:48 pmTanqueray Says:
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
MCMetal Says:
My “secret” is that I am not a GOP backing sycophant suckhole stooge…….
Now I’m even more impressed. How do you convey that message? Is it “that special look”? Do you wear a sign to that effect and the women just throw themselves at you? MCMetal, mans gift to women, I guess it ain’t braggin’…
July 21st, 2008 at 9:08 pm
Must be my lack of men's airport bathroom usage , my non-affinity for Depends , lack of being interested in male prostitutes , and not cheating on women nor referring to them as "c*nts" , d-bag.........
July 21st, 2008 at 10:50 pmAnd, what has the Depleted Uranium done to these young women's repoductive systems?
warning, images on this link are graphic.
Rape messes up the victim's psyche. DU messes up her unborn and yet to be conceived children. (and, yes, it messes up father's to be, too) The potential for birth defects for each and every soldier sent to Iraq is staggering. And how much you want to bet the VA won't cover that?
July 22nd, 2008 at 1:09 amTanqueray Says:
Of course this type of crime only occurs in the American Military. Or not, hell they may be safer than being in college. But that doesn’t fit the agenda.
20-25% of college-aged women will be victims of sexual assault at some point during their college careers.
http://www.icasa.org/ docs/ acquaintance_rape_-_DRAFT_7.doc
Rape is SOMETHING not to be dismissed, but yet, you seem to have used it to further your agenda...Way to show what class wingnuts have...why is it that they always seem to dismiss such a crime as rape?
July 22nd, 2008 at 2:09 amPeople on the other side seek to dismiss the issue because it belies their perception of the military as completely full of patriots fighting for "freedom" around the world. Yet there are those who commit these heinous crimes and the other side seeks to either blame the victim or seek to shift full responsibility for preventing rape to women.
July 22nd, 2008 at 2:13 amWhy should this come as a surprise? Over the last ten years there have been many instances of this kind of thing in the military academy's. West Point and the Naval Academy. This kind of thing is systemic. Does anyone remember the assaults of females from the Navy while trying to get to their rooms?
The sexism runs rampant in the military. It, like the religions of the world are male dominated. All the ultimate boys club, whether in uniform or religious attire. All the same thing.
Everytime I hear a man say, what do women want? Why are they so touchy. Just think about this. Do you want your wife,sister or girl friend to go through it? If the answer is no, then you have your answer. Every woman is someones wife, sister or girl friend.
July 22nd, 2008 at 12:59 pmIn order to function "properly" in the military, people are de-humanized. This is just one of the side-effects. Smart people know going to war better be out of necessity.
July 22nd, 2008 at 2:09 pmI wish the report had been better worded and delineated better between verbal harassment, harassment with strings attached (transfers to poor duty, etc.), and physical violence.
Don't get me wrong, I have no trouble believing that a group of hormone-crazed young folks, trained to be adrenaline crazed and macho, put in a high stress situation : no problem seeing that high rates of all violence would be high and that sexual **ahem** liberties would also be high.
July 22nd, 2008 at 2:46 pm