I think the real discussion surrounding sexual assault in the USA, especially within the military, is based in the removal of shame, empowerment to trust 'the system' and preventing any impetus to the cause.
To begin, the military is about adults and not teenagers.
Immediately, seeking protection from assault is vital. Immediately, providing confidence in 'the system' to address the most minor of complaints needs to begin. Immediately. That means qualified female civilians are now IN PLACE, immediately, at positions of empowerment and qualified male civilians are now IN PLACE, immediately at positions of empowerment.
The victims placing the complaints should have their choice of the gender of their empowerment path. That means if women believe they will be 'able to report' more confidently to a female than same should be provided. If a man believes they will be 'able to report' more confidently to a male then same should be provided. If their requests are the opposite gender than that needs to be accommodated. Signatures on permission to treat begins with the first words of the complaint with absolute privacy.
There can be no military record of these complaints anywhere in the soldiers record. If a civilian court finds a soldier guilty they are given a dishonorable discharge.
I want to see the allegations of sexual assault in the military removed from the military structure. Sexual assault needs to be viewed as a civilian matter with the USA military accepting the outcomes of the civilian courts. The civilian courts are to be an ADJUNCT to the military in this matter simply because the military has failed so profoundly in their ability to empower victims and bring about sincere justice.
There is to be no appeal to a military tribunal and/or officer regarding the decisions of the civil courts in this matter. May I be as so bold as to think an Executive Order from the Commander and Chief can actually facilitate this. I don't care if these folks are in a combat situation, they are immediately to be reassigned to separate units and at the earliest possible time given leave to seek civilian authority to facilitate the complaint. This can be done and needs to be done.
In regard to the 'military orientation program' of soldiers, be they men or women, in regard to knowing what sexual assault is and when to move to protect themselves; they need to be given the same information civilians receive AND any other OPPORTUNISTIC prevalence that is exclusively military.
This is going to sound counter intuitive and very harsh but A SURVIVAL METHOD for women or men assaulted can be to allow the rape. Women do survive rape. If relinquishing the fight is a better outcome to provide survival of the assault, then so be it.
What occurs in these drastic survival methods is PTSD. So, victims surviving rape by allowing the physical over powerment of their will are to be considered seriously for mental health issues. Rape and not necessarily sexual assault immediately impacts on the survival centers of the brain and PTSD frequently is a reality. If a person raped within a military setting believes they will function better in their lives by staying in their military capacity that should be guaranteed to those that report. By the way, allowing these people to remain in their military capacity can be validated by civilian psychiatrists.
PTSD when brought on by sexual assault has to be considered a legitimate reason for VA Disability benefits as well. PTSD is PTSD regardless of it's etiology. PTSD for VA Disability is measured exactly the same whether it is rape or combat.
I would never deny a person the right to submit to rape if they can survive in that manner. I would list it as a survival tactic to be a part of a tool box when faced with sexual assault.
By the way, I LEARNED to handle the physical prowess of a man/a person larger than I, set on rape through a program offered by the university police. I did that on a weekend where the minority of the time was spend on classroom theory and the majority of the time was spent on learning physical self-defense.
These learned techniques in my tool box would end if someone was using a gun or knife at me. So the idea I could submit rather than fight to save my life (and knives are frequently the intimate/covert tool of rapists) is a reality. It is not my first choice and I was empowered to believe I could stop the rape and RUN from it. Getting away from the assault is ALWAYS the focus of actions of the victim and then calling authority TO REPORT. Reporting is not only therapeutic, but, it is being a real friend to others that will be faced with these horrible possibilities.
Sexual assault is complicated, very. But, as a society we have defined 'Date Rape' and as a military I am confident there are those that can define 'Military Sexual Assault.' This is doable. Men can be gentlemen and women can be ladies. I realize the paradigm of war and combat changes many things when dealing with these issues, but, it is not impossible to prepare soldiers to be gentlemen and ladies in anticipation of sexual passion vs. sexual assault. Failing to provide a strong military based in respect for gender as well as soldier capacity would be a profound disappointment to the nation. Our sons and daughters are important and the relationships they build within our military should be a point of pride, too.
To begin, the military is about adults and not teenagers.
Immediately, seeking protection from assault is vital. Immediately, providing confidence in 'the system' to address the most minor of complaints needs to begin. Immediately. That means qualified female civilians are now IN PLACE, immediately, at positions of empowerment and qualified male civilians are now IN PLACE, immediately at positions of empowerment.
The victims placing the complaints should have their choice of the gender of their empowerment path. That means if women believe they will be 'able to report' more confidently to a female than same should be provided. If a man believes they will be 'able to report' more confidently to a male then same should be provided. If their requests are the opposite gender than that needs to be accommodated. Signatures on permission to treat begins with the first words of the complaint with absolute privacy.
There can be no military record of these complaints anywhere in the soldiers record. If a civilian court finds a soldier guilty they are given a dishonorable discharge.
I want to see the allegations of sexual assault in the military removed from the military structure. Sexual assault needs to be viewed as a civilian matter with the USA military accepting the outcomes of the civilian courts. The civilian courts are to be an ADJUNCT to the military in this matter simply because the military has failed so profoundly in their ability to empower victims and bring about sincere justice.
There is to be no appeal to a military tribunal and/or officer regarding the decisions of the civil courts in this matter. May I be as so bold as to think an Executive Order from the Commander and Chief can actually facilitate this. I don't care if these folks are in a combat situation, they are immediately to be reassigned to separate units and at the earliest possible time given leave to seek civilian authority to facilitate the complaint. This can be done and needs to be done.
In regard to the 'military orientation program' of soldiers, be they men or women, in regard to knowing what sexual assault is and when to move to protect themselves; they need to be given the same information civilians receive AND any other OPPORTUNISTIC prevalence that is exclusively military.
This is going to sound counter intuitive and very harsh but A SURVIVAL METHOD for women or men assaulted can be to allow the rape. Women do survive rape. If relinquishing the fight is a better outcome to provide survival of the assault, then so be it.
What occurs in these drastic survival methods is PTSD. So, victims surviving rape by allowing the physical over powerment of their will are to be considered seriously for mental health issues. Rape and not necessarily sexual assault immediately impacts on the survival centers of the brain and PTSD frequently is a reality. If a person raped within a military setting believes they will function better in their lives by staying in their military capacity that should be guaranteed to those that report. By the way, allowing these people to remain in their military capacity can be validated by civilian psychiatrists.
PTSD when brought on by sexual assault has to be considered a legitimate reason for VA Disability benefits as well. PTSD is PTSD regardless of it's etiology. PTSD for VA Disability is measured exactly the same whether it is rape or combat.
I would never deny a person the right to submit to rape if they can survive in that manner. I would list it as a survival tactic to be a part of a tool box when faced with sexual assault.
By the way, I LEARNED to handle the physical prowess of a man/a person larger than I, set on rape through a program offered by the university police. I did that on a weekend where the minority of the time was spend on classroom theory and the majority of the time was spent on learning physical self-defense.
These learned techniques in my tool box would end if someone was using a gun or knife at me. So the idea I could submit rather than fight to save my life (and knives are frequently the intimate/covert tool of rapists) is a reality. It is not my first choice and I was empowered to believe I could stop the rape and RUN from it. Getting away from the assault is ALWAYS the focus of actions of the victim and then calling authority TO REPORT. Reporting is not only therapeutic, but, it is being a real friend to others that will be faced with these horrible possibilities.
Sexual assault is complicated, very. But, as a society we have defined 'Date Rape' and as a military I am confident there are those that can define 'Military Sexual Assault.' This is doable. Men can be gentlemen and women can be ladies. I realize the paradigm of war and combat changes many things when dealing with these issues, but, it is not impossible to prepare soldiers to be gentlemen and ladies in anticipation of sexual passion vs. sexual assault. Failing to provide a strong military based in respect for gender as well as soldier capacity would be a profound disappointment to the nation. Our sons and daughters are important and the relationships they build within our military should be a point of pride, too.
