How would you handle males who report being victims of sexual assault?

2014-12-09T09:42:10-05:00

http://bigstory.ap.org/article/f8e9e8de30564e13b734ea21b846bee5/military-seeks-help-male-sex-assault-victims

Response by TSgt Joshua Copeland made Dec 9 at 2014 9:54 AM

2014-12-09T09:54:16-05:00

In all honestly, how/why is/should it any different?

Response by SSG Tim Everett made Dec 9 at 2014 10:00 AM

2014-12-09T10:00:19-05:00

The appropriate answer is, the same way it should be handled for females. I have nothing further to say on the matter because I'd be discussing brutal violence against a rapist.

Response by Lt Col Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 9 at 2014 10:18 AM

2014-12-09T10:18:15-05:00

The same way I would treat a female.

Step 1: warn them that if they talk to me, it will be an unrestricted report, and it will be referred to OSI for criminal investigation of the person they accuse.

Step 2: If they want it to be a restricted report, I would take them to the SARC or the chaplain.

Step 2a: If they still want to report it to me, I'm still going to involve the SARC, but also my commander and OSI.

Response by SFC Dr. Joseph Finck, BS, MA, DSS made Dec 9 at 2014 10:30 AM

2014-12-09T10:30:02-05:00

SGM Private RallyPoint Member I know from personal experience investigating these allegations, the situation is challenging from a number of ways. Our finding was many men who were survivors of these assaults did not wish to speak with female investigators. While this initially seemed odd, the psychology of it is somewhat simple. Would you want to tell your mother or sister you were a survivor of sexual assault?

Secondary to this was the challenge of these brave survivors questioning their own sexuality. It stems from why was I selected, what did I do, etc? Further exacerbating this problem is human physiology when it comes to these crimes.

All survivors of these assaults must be treated with respect and allowed to present the information as they see fit. We had to reinvent the was we asked questions and adopt a medical style of questioning (open ended feelings based questions) as opposed to who, what, when, where, why, and how questions as the human brain recalls emotions not facts.

This resulted in significant improvement in victim statements and a reduction in a requirement for secondary interviews which creates further trauma.

All of these techniques combined have resulted in greater reporting and more convictions with less secondary trauma to the survivor being created by the investigation and criminal justice process.

Response by SSG John Erny made Dec 9 at 2014 10:50 AM

2014-12-09T10:50:09-05:00

1LT Scott Doyle, Capt Jason Williams, MSgt Joshua Copeland,

The problem I see is the risk for a victim to turn to drugs and alcohol to cope with the mental trauma or perhaps even suicide. The need for medical help does not end at the ER. It may in fact be life long.

Secondly if word of what happened gets out to the troops and one or more of them says something hurtful to the victim the chain of command needs to come down on them like a ton of bricks. Field Grade Article 15 and a bar to re-enlist at a minimum. ( In such and event and I were the commander they would mow the division parade field with a push mower just to warm up)

The victim must have the full support of the chain of command from the time of the report through the trial and as long as they serve. If the victim is unable to continue to serve be damn sure they get home to their family. I would take leave and drive him myself if I had to.

Response by SSG Maurice P. made Dec 9 at 2014 11:04 AM

2014-12-09T11:04:03-05:00

What did you expect, you let them queers be open in the military on O's watch now even the guys are getting sexually assaulted.......................

Response by COL Jean (John) F. B. made Dec 9 at 2014 1:34 PM

2014-12-09T13:34:23-05:00

They should be treated exactly the same as a female victim.

Response by 1LT Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 10 at 2014 6:27 PM

2014-12-10T18:27:04-05:00

Dear SGM Private RallyPoint Member,

Regrettably . . . because men in the military outnumber women by more than five to one . . . while the majority ( 53% ) of military sexual assault victims are men . . . only a tiny fraction of military sexual assault reports ( 13% ) are filed by men.

Even when men report a sexual assault, military authorities are less likely to identify a suspect, to refer charges to court-martial or to discharge the perpetrator than in cases in which the victim is a woman.

Data show that the typical perpetrator is a man who has served longer in the military than his victim and holds a higher rank. In most cases, the assailant identifies as heterosexual.

We need to provide far more effective legal followup . . . and far more effective psychological treatment for long term effects of sexual assault . . . including persistent anxiety, fear of being around unfamiliar places or people, difficulties with relationships, substance abuse, thoughts of suicide.

Warmest Regards, Sandy

http://data.baltimoresun.com/military-sexual-assaults/

Response by MSgt Bj Jones made Dec 10 at 2014 8:51 PM

2014-12-10T20:51:24-05:00

Maybe I should as my Uncle Jay how he would prefer to have been handled when he reported being gang raped when in the Navy detention barracks at Norfolk. He devoted an entire blog to the incident, http://jayherron.wordpress.com. If you read it, do so with a grain of salt. As it is, I'd take the reports seriously and try to help however I could. At the same time, I'd try to get the particulars regarding the incident.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 11 at 2014 8:59 AM

2014-12-11T08:59:20-05:00

Same way if a female was reporting. With immediate action to get them a SHARP representative assigned to them and notify CID, etc. as outlined by the regulations and published guidance. They will get medical treatment and if requested chaplain support. The investigation and reporting timelines will be followed. They will be treated with dignity and respect.

Response by CPT Aaron Kletzing made Dec 11 at 2014 9:16 AM

2014-12-11T09:16:30-05:00

I would hope that the male would be treated the same as the female.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 11 at 2014 1:20 PM

2014-12-11T13:20:50-05:00

The exact same way. The number of males who are assaulted is surprising. If it is treated differently then we are just supporting the stigma that has been placed on a male reporting it. It happens whether it's male on male or female on male. The thing is that a lot of people think a man can't be sexually assaulted. The fact that it tends to be looked at differently by most people is the very reason that most males who are assaulted choose notnto report and get the BH and medical care they should be getting.

Response by SPC Ei McS made May 18 at 2015 8:40 AM

2015-05-18T08:40:11-04:00

They should be treated the same as a female would. Having said that, one should keep in mind though that males will still take longer (if at all) to report sexual assault. So, the military has to work on making sure that the males who have been sexually assaulted feel more comfortable and safer to come forward to report the sexual assault!