Sexual Harassment in the Military

According to women veterans survey by the Iowa City Veterans Affairs Medical Center and University of Iowa, fifty percent of women at the Air Force, Army, and Naval Academies report being sexually harassed and “hostile attitudes and inappropriate actions toward women” continues “to hinder the establishment of a safe and professional environment”. Seventy-nine percent of women veterans surveyed reported experiences of sexual harassment during their military service; thirty percent of the women reported an attempted or completed rape (http://www.medianmouse.org/recruiting/facts.php).
Of the cases that were fully investigated in 2005, nearly 1,400, or sixty-eight percent, were completed by the end of the year. No action was taken against more than 800 alleged offenders because the incident was unfounded. Among the remaining, 79 people received court martial, 91 were given no judicial punishments, and 104 were discharged or otherwise reprimanded (http://www.famedetroit.org/sexassaultreport.htm).
What does this say about the treatment of women? Results of surveys concluded that women where sexual harassment is permitted are four times more likely to be raped. We need to stop turning a deaf ear to women being verbally abused. It is not acceptable to harass women. It is most typical with lower ranked women, which is an example of men abusing their position and power over women. Men, no matter what their position, need to be held accountable for their actions, and leaders need to be better trained in understanding sexual discrimination and how to handle it!