January 2011 - Blackherbals.com

Continued from page 29– Rape Rampant in US Militarystationed in Fort Jackson, South Carolina. She reported itto her Sexual Assault Response Coordinator (SARC) andthe Military Police, but the culprit was not brought tobook.After an early discharge due to MST and treatment at aPTSD Residential Rehabilitation Treatment Program(PRRTP) facility, she was raped again by a higherrankingmember of the air force in February 2009.Administrator for a combat engineering instruction unitin Knoxville, Tennessee, Tracey Harmon has no illusions.“For women in the military, you are either a bitch, adyke, or a whore. If you sleep with one person in yourunit you are a whore. If you are a lesbian you are a dyke,and if you don’t sleep with other soldiers you are abitch.”Maricela Guzman served in the navy from 1998 to 2002as a computer technician on the island of Diego Garcia.She was raped while in boot camp, but fear ofconsequences kept her from talking about it for the rest ofher time in the military. “I survived by becoming aworkaholic and was much awarded as a soldier for mywork ethic.”The VA denied her claim nevertheless, “Because theysaid I couldn’t prove it … since I had not brought it upwhen it happened and also because I had not shown anydeviant behavior while in the service. I was outraged andfelt compelled to talk about what happened.”While it will go to any length to maintain public silenceover the issue, the military machine has no such qualmswithin its own corridors. Guzman discloses, “Through thegossip mill we would hear of women who had reportedbeing raped. No confidentiality was maintained nor anyprotection given to victims. The boys’ club culture isstrong and the competition exclusive. That forces manynot to report rape, because it is a blemish and can ruinyour career.”The department of defence reported that in fiscal year2009, there were 3,230 reports of sexual assault, anincrease of 11 percent over the prior year.However, as high as the military’s own figures are ofrape and sexual assault, victims and advocates Al Jazeeraspoke with believe the real figures are sure to be higher.Veteran April Fitzsimmons, another victim of sexualassault, knows what an uphill battle it is for women totake on the military system. “When victims comeforward, they are ostracized and isolated from theircommunities. Many of the perpetrators are officers whouse their ranks to coerce women to sleep with them. It’s aclosely interwoven community, so they are safe andmove fearlessly amongst their victims.”Her advice to women considering joining the USmilitary?“The crisis is so severe that I’m telling women to simplynot join the military because it’s completely unsafe andputs them at risk. Until something changes at the top, nowoman should join the military.”Research support was provided by the Investigative Fundat The Nation Institute.http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/features/2010/12/2010122182546344551.html☻☻☻☻☻☻Military Sexual Abuse'Staggering'In part two of our series, Al Jazeera examines the oftenhidden world of rape and abuse in the US military.By Dahr JamailAl Jazeera24 December 2010Every year, rape increases at an alarming rate withinAmerican military institutions – and even males arevictims of the cycle.In fact, due to raw demographics, one can roughlysurmise that most victims of sexual abuse in the militaryare male.Regardless of gender, reports of victims of militarysexual assault have been increasing. In 2007, there were2,200 reports of rape in the military, whilst in 2009 sawan increase up to 3,230 reports of sexual assault.Many of the victims suffer from Military Sexual Trauma(MST) and are shamed into silence, with numerous casesnot even reported.A disturbing trend, however, is how military officialsseem to be sweeping this damaging issue under the rugand deflecting blame.Blaming the VictimKira Mountjoy-Pepka of Pack Parachute, a non-profitorganisation which assists sexually abusedveterans, explains that the military system favours theperpetrator. "What we're seeing now, and what we’veseen for decades, is when someone is assaulted, themilitary investigators create false or misleading crimereports. Then the case is dismissed, and the commandpersecutes the victim for false reporting."Continued on page 31-30- Traditional African Clinic January 2011