The New York Times recently ?released a report of a new military study claiming that rapes and sexual assaults in the military had increased 8 percent in the last fiscal year.
This number is nothing compared to the 50 percent increase in reporting of the year before that.
This increase in reporting can mean one of two things: the actual number of sexual assaults occurring is increasing, which would, of course, be bad, or that more people are feeling comfortable and safe enough to come forward about their experiences.
The real reason, unfortunately, is most likely a mixture of the two.
Recently the issue has been brought into the media spotlight. A ?documentary called “The Invisible War” and multiple popular TV shows, such as “House of Cards,” have been bringing attention to this issue.
Multiple bills in Congress have ?addressed reform within the armed forces to try and combat sexual assault.
All this attention has perhaps made survivors of sexual assault feel that they would be able to find justice and solace in exposing their experiences.
On the other hand, despite the ?discussion that is now arising about this particular injustice, neither of the recent bills addressing it in Congress have actually passed. This means that no change in the systemic silencing of sexually assaulted men and women has actually been implemented.
This led Senator Kirsten E. ?Gillibrand, the headliner of a bill to remove ?prosecution duties in cases of sexual ?assault from the chain of command, to believe the assaults are actually ?increasing.
Whether the number increases? because the number of reports is going up or the number of attacks is going up, the important thing to focus on is that the number is going up at all and how high it actually is.
The New York Times reported that a Pentagon study from this year ?estimated that while 5,400 rapes and sexual assaults were reported, ?approximately 19,000 men and women were actually attacked.
This number is unbelievably and ?inexcusably high.
The armed forces are supposed to represent a faction of our society that values honor and duty, but these ?numbers give a different impression about the culture that is actually being perpetuated within these institutions.
In order to fight and protect in the hostile and often traumatizing ?situation of war, a certain mindset has to ?be nurtured in the minds of a soldier.
It is this hypermasculinity and desire for control and power over others that leads one to be a competent warrior.
However, these are also ?characteristics that often drive people toward sexual assault.
It is the responsibility of the ?military to make sure these assaults are not being directed inward at their own ranks, resulting in the dehumanization, ?humiliation and demoralization of their fellows in arms.
The most effective way to prevent this mindset from harming women (who are the most frequent, though not the only victims) is to put them in equal positions of power with men.
Putting women in active combat ?allows men and women to establish a bond of survival, making it less likely that they will be viewed as inferior ?objects to be conquered.
This change will also allow women to advance into positions of power, which will help to eliminate ideas of female ?inferiority.
The editorial board is, of course, grateful to the armed forces for the services they provide for our country, but we are not blind to their faults or their crimes. Somebody has to take ?responsibility.
While we regret the existence of these assaults, we are glad these crimes are ?recently becoming more visible, because that is the only way that they may be ?addressed and eradicated.
