Do we need this documentary?

[dennisw]

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2120152/

I have not seen this movie. Of course since it's a liberal production, my assumption, Rotten tomatoes gives it a 100%. The premise is that for a woman soldier the odds of being raped are higher then being killed in combat. At first glance, I would imagine in any war these odds are similar.

I hope, this documentary is highlighting the exception not the rule, and that the following quote is overstated:

An investigative documentary about the epidemic of rape of soldiers within the US military.

Maybe others who are on active duty can provide a better insight into this problem.

[Dozer523]

Originally Posted by dennisw

The premise is that for a woman soldier the odds of being raped are higher then being killed in combat. At first glance, I would imagine in any war these odds will similar.

Statistically a pretty accurate statement
Iraq: 0.0239% chance (115 women fatalities/4804 total fatalities)
Afghanistan: 0.0120% chance (37/3062) in Afghanistan.
A sobering web site: http://icasualties.org/

A little on the dramatic side but probably to contrast Rape (a fate worse then) to Death. Rape is a very serious problem with no solution in sight. No matter how many times you watch the SHARP (sexual Harassment and Rape Prevention)training. http://www.sexualassault.army.mil/index.cfm

[Dusty]

Originally Posted by dennisw

The premise is that for a woman soldier the odds of being raped are higher then being killed in combat.

Not for she-Rangers.

[dennisw]

Iraq: 0.0239% chance (115 women fatalities/4804 total fatalities)

I believe they are looking at it differently. 115 women killed compared to number of women having been deployed. Then comparing this to the number of women raped while deployed to number having been deployed.

According to the following website, http://www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/fe...men_12-18.html, 155,000 women have been deployed since 2002. That means the percentage of women KIA is 0.0742%. Bottom line, apparently there has been more than 115 rapes for their premise to be true.

Most of us would agree that one rape is too many. However, it seems like just another attempt to tarnish our institutions.

[Sigaba]

FWIW, the DoD's Office of Sexual Assault Prevention and Response has made available its annual reports here. (Note that there's a separate tab for reports on the service academies.)

[Dozer523]

Originally Posted by dennisw

. . . 155,000 women have been deployed since 2002. That means the percentage of women KIA is 0.0742%. Bottom line, apparently there has been more than 115 rapes for their premise to be true.
Most of us would agree that one rape is too many. However, it seems like just another attempt to tarnish our institutions.

1555,000 is a lot of deployments so is 10 years, a long time.
According to this: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/0..._n_176106.html

I cite this from ^: "The Pentagon said it received 2,923 reports of sexual assault across the military in the 12 months ending Sept. 30 2008. That's about a 9 percent increase over the totals reported the year before, but only a fraction of the crimes presumably being committed. . . .

The Pentagon office that collects the data estimates that only 10 percent to 20 percent of sexual assaults among members of the active duty military are reported a figure similar to estimates of reported cases in the civilian sphere.
2923/1,400,000 is 0.00208 so the stat is actually bogus.
Luckily, it's also not the point.

In answer to your initial question: do we need this documentary? I think so, unfortunately. But that's how we get this stuff fixed.
And I'm sorta guilty, was not a big deal to me 25-30 years ago to me but now my daughter is of enlistment age and well, all those female Soldiers kinda look like BCMU if I squint. I'm glad the military is trying to address it.

Originally Posted by dennisw

I believe they are looking at it differently. 115 women killed compared to number of women having been deployed. Then comparing this to the number of women raped while deployed to number having been deployed.

According to the following website, http://www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/fe...men_12-18.html, 155,000 women have been deployed since 2002. That means the percentage of women KIA is 0.0742%. Bottom line, apparently there has been more than 115 rapes for their premise to be true.

Most of us would agree that one rape is too many. However, it seems like just another attempt to tarnish our institutions.

The military is doing a pretty good job tarnishing it's own reputation.

[We'rewolf]

IMHO, I think it's a necessary documentary. As a Active Duty Mp I have worked rape cases several times. Rape against females by males, females against males and males against males. Unfortunately, it is a major issue in all branches of service. Having looked into the eyes of victims, I say, whatever video, class, or ppt that comes out is necessary. Just my two cents.

V/R

[Badger52]

Originally Posted by Dozer523

.... but now my daughter is of enlistment age and well, all those female Soldiers kinda look like BCMU if I squint. I'm glad the military is trying to address it.

First Dozer I wish your daughter all the best. My daughter has confided to me that thru 5 full tours in Afghanistan starting Nov '01 she's never made a move without a weapon - something I nodded to & heartily concurred with. Unfortunately during the last two deployments she said she was carrying primarily for the less obvious reason, as was the accompanying 'buddy'.

This will need to get fixed in rather draconian fashion.

[afchic]

Originally Posted by Badger52

First Dozer I wish your daughter all the best. My daughter has confided to me that thru 5 full tours in Afghanistan starting Nov '01 she's never made a move without a weapon - something I nodded to & heartily concurred with. Unfortunately during the last two deployments she said she was carrying primarily for the less obvious reason, as was the accompanying 'buddy'.

This will need to get fixed in rather draconian fashion.

When my husband and I first got married, we spent 7 months apart while we were both deployed. He would get on my case about NEVER walking around by myself. Me, being me, took offense to his thinking I couldn't take care of myself. But I honored his wishes, because the last thing I wanted him worried about while he was in harms way, was me.

Now I preach this to all the women that work for me. Hell I was just preaching it to my daughter the other day before she went off to the Jersey Shore with her aunts and cousins.

NEVER go anywhere by yourself, and ALWAYS utilize the buddy system.

It is a simple precautionary measure that could wind up saving you lots of pain and agony. I know from experience.

[greenberetTFS]

Originally Posted by afchic

When my husband and I first got married, we spent 7 months apart while we were both deployed. He would get on my case about NEVER walking around by myself. Me, being me, took offense to his thinking I couldn't take care of myself. But I honored his wishes, because the last thing I wanted him worried about while he was in harms way, was me.

Now I preach this to all the women that work for me. Hell I was just preaching it to my daughter the other day before she went off to the Jersey Shore with her aunts and cousins.

NEVER go anywhere by yourself, and ALWAYS utilize the buddy system.

It is a simple precautionary measure that could wind up saving you lots of pain and agony. I know from experience.

afchic

I hear you and you bet I think your absolutely right,that's sound advise your giving out.

Big Teddy

[The Reaper]

I suspect that the numbers are no higher in the military than any other segment of the US population in the comparable age brackets. They might even be significantly lower.

You want to see some really scary numbers, look what the Red Army did to the females when they passed through Germany in 1945.

TR

[afchic]

Originally Posted by The Reaper

I suspect that the numbers are no higher in the military than any other segment of the US population in the comparable age brackets. They might even be significantly lower.

You want to see some really scary numbers, look what the Red Army did to the females when they passed through Germany in 1945.

TR

You are right that they probably aren't higher. But the difference is that we (the american populace and especially military members) should expect more from those that put on the uniform.

Rape has been used throughout history as a terror tactic, that will not change. Hell, look at what is going on in Syria right now. But regardless of how often it is used, nothing will change until the leadership of these folks condemn the action. That isn't going to happen either, the spoils of war.

[Badger52]

Originally Posted by afchic

You are right that they probably aren't higher. But the difference is that we (the american populace and especially military members) should expect more from those that put on the uniform.

I think you hit the difference right there; the primary concern is the danger from within, from someone who is ostensibly a brother/sister at arms. Numbers may jive with a commensurate cross-section of civilian populace but has zero place in a professional military. Some public-square examples may need to be made, but at this point I don't think they have the stones.

[afchic]

Take this next rant for what it is worth, just my opinion.

The DoD has gone about addressing this problem all wrong. How many of you men have sat through the mandatory sexual harassment training, and came out feeling as if the military thought you were a piece of shit?

How many of you women out there have sat through the same class and came out feeling like the military cast you as a victim?

We don't need annual sexual harrassment training, in my estimation. What we need to emphasize is that we are brothers and sisters in arms, and anything that jeapordizes that relationship not only brings shame upon the military as a whole, but demoralizes us as a unit.

If we take that route, and talk about how we can work together as a team, vs the us vs them mentality that permeates the current training, maybe we would go a long way to solving the rape problem. And it may have the added benefit of alleviating the number of cases in which women cry wolf.

Maybe I am giving us to much credit. There are a lot of kids in uniform these days. But team cohesion is what we need, and if we can teach them that, just maybe.....