Over 500 Reports of Sexual Assault among U.S. Troops

June 29th, 2006 at 14:06 Björn Hallberg

Reported yes, but as is the nature of the crime, this is surely only the tip of the iceberg.

Over 500 cases of sexual assault have been reported among U.S. troops in Iraq and Afghanistan since the summer of 2002, according to the executive director of the Miles Foundation, a nonprofit group that tracks sexual crimes in the military.

“The combat theater is illustrative of the hostility towards women in the U.S. Armed Forces,” according to Christine Hansen, the executive director of the foundation. Hansen is testifying this afternoon before the House Government Reform Committee.

Hansen notes that survivors of sexual assault in the combat theater point to many issues that contribute to the hostile environment there for women in the military, including “lack of privacy to perform daily routines; insufficient lighting in and around the tents; isolation; existence of a sexually charged atmosphere; presence of pornography; and availability of condoms for male troops.”

Hansen also points out that the wide availability of alcohol has not helped. Alcohol has been involved in 70 to 75 percent of the reported cases.

And on top of this, one would have to consider the endemic, dehumanizing and perverse treatment of civilians as well as these two phenomena catalyze each other. Both are part of the dark side of standing armies and military culture. Militarism as it were, when members of the armed forces are above the law both in terms of what they do abroad and at home. When the delusional quest for security and the glory of the nation have become so pivotal that suddenly no price is too steep.

Or what about the female cadet that was raped on several occasions and who upon reporting this was “issued a demerit for having sex in a dorm room.” Ironically, in pretty much the same gist as America fights its wars and rapes the world, blames the victim. The same type of groupthink and culture at work.

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