What are some positive ways we can reduce MST and its prevalence in todays military?

SSG(P) Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 10 Feb 2015 19:16:53 -0500

Military Sexual Trauma (MST) aka Rape in the military, goes largely under/unreported for many reasons.
(1) How can we remove the stigma of making a unrestricted report?
(2) I believe that the victim becomes the one on trial, what can we do to change that?
(3) Is it possible, nothing we do will ever make a difference?
The restricted reporting option, IMO negatively impacts the positive changes we are all trying to make.

What suggestions, protocols and/or procedures have you implemented and have they been effective? Would you like to see stiffer sentences?

Response by 1SG Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 10 at 2015 7:29 PM

1SG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 10 Feb 2015 19:29:49 -0500

Unfortunately, bad people are going to do bad things. We can create measures that reduce the possibility, but a determined bad actor will find a way.

What we can change is what we do about it when it does happen. The victim is our sister or more rarely, our brother. We need to make sure they get the help they need from a professional and their leader alike. Do not be lenient with perpetrators because they are a "good Soldier". NO THEY AREN'T. Anyone that pulls this deed is scum. And with due process and their rights addressed, if found guilty they deserve no compassion. Break rocks for a while in Leavenworth while wearing a t-shirt that says what you did. Nature will take its course.

Get out of my Army, dirtbag. We won't miss you one bit.

Response by CPT Jack Durish made Feb 10 at 2015 7:38 PM

CPT Jack Durish — Tue, 10 Feb 2015 19:38:58 -0500

Many years and a couple of careers paths ago I wrote a few government grant applications that resulted in funding. A group learning of my success approached me to help them submit one in response to a Request for Proposals to create an ad campaign, basically to craft some catchy slogans to prevent rape. As I read the RFP it became apparent that the agency that promulgated it had the notion that rape could be prevented by altering women's behavior. Yes, in essence, they were committed to the idea that women attracted rapists.

I refused to play along. Instead, I proposed that we take an entirely different approach to the problem, to teach women how to be street savy and reduce their exposure to risk and respond aggressively when confronted by a rapist. Although this flew in the face of then current wisdom, the group that hired me told me to go ahead with my approach.

Although we ultimately lost the bid, we didn't fare too badly and were among the finalists.

The point of my story, I suppose, is that rape is a complex problem that the civilian community has been attempting to cope with for many decades, without success. It is unlikely that the military will contrive to "fix" the problem any time soon inasmuch as they are new to the game. That is, throwing men and women together in close and stressful situations is a relatively recent trend.

Ultimately, there will be no quick fix. It will take time, a lot of time if the civilian experience is any indicator, for those in positions of authority to accept that there is a problem, to let go of ingrained prejudices (such as women are asking for it - you lips say no, no, no, but your eyes say yes, yes, yes). No, the shift will be glacial in the courts martial just as it has been in civilian courtrooms.

I suppose that military jurists will first have to overcome their predisposition in opposition to women serving alongside men even before they can address the issue itself. Thus, I suppose that we start there. Focus on the acceptance of women in the military and in all roles to which they are assigned without prejudice, or get them the hell out of there. One way or the other, decide the matter and let's move on...

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 10 at 2015 7:40 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 10 Feb 2015 19:40:14 -0500

Most importantly, as long as commanders maintain their full control over a case, they need to be praised for dealing with the cases not punished for having them occur. Victims also need outside counsel as advocates. CID, NCIS, OSI, CGIS need to treat victims with respect rather than crucifying them. And most importantly, the military must stop discharging victims for any and everything they can find. It's unreal how many get kicked out administratively following their report. If I was a victim, I would not trust the system to prosecute and/or end my career if I did report.

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 10 at 2015 7:44 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 10 Feb 2015 19:44:55 -0500

I think the biggest thing is awareness. One unit I was in did suffer a SM who was raped, and underwent the whole process. Looking back on things, the perpetrator committed several of the warning signs in the videos. We didn't necessarily catch it, but ended up preventing it from happening due to the buddy system.

This SM went on to later rape the SM in my unit, and attacked/attempted to rape another. The second attack was prevented by the "target's" boyfriend.

There are few things that are sacred to me, things that I won't joke about. Rape is one. I still feel that I failed my SM, even though I know I can't be there 24 hours a day....but it is hard to wonder "what if". She did everything that the videos tell you to do....using the battle buddy system...being careful...everything. This animal was crafty. It won't be eliminated ever, but I would love to see it reduced. Stiffer sentencing is fully agreeable as well.

The stigma will only go away when people quit abusing the system. Afraid of getting into trouble, some women will use the rape card. It is horrible, and even if you are acquitted....BOTH parties generally become outsiders due to the polarity of the issue.

I have seen both sides get the blame. The woman is accused of "asking for it" or "not being careful enough" and the man is generally assumed to be an aggressor. In the case of my friend, I heard several people blame her....and nearly got into one or two fights because of it (I knew the details of it because of her confiding in me). However, as the process went on, she was told SEVERAL times that "there's virtually no way he'll be convicted". JAG, CID, all these guys that are supposed to be in her corner were some of the biggest naysayers about things. She felt like he was going to get away from it...and had to deal with him coming through the work station at times, although he had a no-contact order.

I know the reasons, but it was hard to watch my Soldier/friend suffer while this asshole was out walking. None of us could actively do anything, and at one point I needed to leave a function because he showed up with his family. He DID finally receive sentencing....although it is NO way nearly as stiff as I would have liked to see.

I highly encourage the battle buddy system. As hard as it is to stomach sometimes, SHARP when it comes to rape prevention is helpful in increasing awareness. (I think it is overdone sometimes, along with suicide prevention....so may lose some of its effectiveness. However, the program is good in its intent.)

Regarding restricted reporting, it can make a difference. Some people are simply wanting to document it, afraid of going through all the hoops of the investigation. Additionally, it's very difficult at times, because it DOES mean being silent about what happened....and breaching that turns into an unrestricted report quickly because of the kind of "mandatory reporting" accompanied with the MST. I would rather be aware of what is going on in my unit via "unofficial chains" than not be aware of it. Of course, I'd RATHER see the prosecution done....but given the two options, I'd have to take the restricted reporting over unreported.
v/r,
CPT Butler

Response by MAJ Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 10 at 2015 8:13 PM

MAJ Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 10 Feb 2015 20:13:11 -0500

I can't speak for the force in general, but in the formations which we can control at our level, I'd say command emphasis is key to making SHARP violations unacceptable. I'm not talking about the quarterly power point slides that the Army makes us use, but using personal vignettes and scenarios that we've all seen over our careers and sharing them with the Soldiers. Enforcing your barracks policy and holding the CQ NCO accountable for making sure doors aren't closed with visitors, everyone out past 2200, etc. helps immensely. Statistics show (at least around here) that most SA allegations happen in the barracks.

One particularly effective tidbit of information that most Soldiers don't realize is that any SA allegation (founded or unfounded) goes into a permanent database that is maintained by CID for years. Even the unfounded ones are recorded as the Soldier having been investigated for allegations.

Response by Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS made Feb 10 at 2015 8:14 PM

Sgt Aaron Kennedy, MS — Tue, 10 Feb 2015 20:14:27 -0500

1) The victim/survivor has to want to report it. Simple as that. We can get into all the other complexities that follow after that, but until that first part happens, nothing else matters.

Ignore the crime itself. Think about every other "traumatic" thing that military members go through, whether condition, or injury, or whatever. How often do we just ignore it, or "deal with it" ? Why would MST be different than that?

2) We are trained from the times we are E1 / O1 to investigate Issues/Concerns/Problems in a fairly logical and frankly cold manner. If a Victim/Survivor comes to us, we are going to react as we do with any other Issue/Concern/Problem. In a cold/logical manner. We're going to investigate, but because we fully investigate to get a full picture of what is going on, it does make people "feel" like they are being put on trial. Unfortunately, this takes us back to 1).

3) There are a great many things we can do. Immediate "Escalation" is one. Separate reporting chains is another. There are countless other ways, which the military has explored and uses.

One of the problems I see, is that there is a perception that MST is high the military. I think reports are high in the military giving a better more accurate picture, than comparable civilian areas (colleges).

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 10 at 2015 8:55 PM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Tue, 10 Feb 2015 20:55:46 -0500

SSG,

The definition of Military Sexual Trauma is not "rape". MST is a complex trauma due to the military context as well as the typical age and position of the victim within this context. Many victims of MST have a history of childhood physical abuse, sexual, or physical abuse.

I personally would put MST in the same category as PTSD. After suffering multiple concussions and broken bones from I.E.D blasts, the last thing I want is to see is a Humvee. Now, imagine being sexually assaulted by another service member whom you referred to as your "battle buddy, bro, ranger buddy, wingman, etc." Another example; A 17 year old Private whose only goal in life was to join the Military, only to be assaulted by the person whom he/she looked up to. Or even worse, leadership having full knowledge of incidents, yet crimes are not resolved.

These victims see a Service Member in uniform and are immediately re-victimized. That, my friend, is Military Sexual Trauma. If someone else has any better examples, I would love to hear them.

To answer your remaining questions, our organization (Military) have come a long way when it comes to Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment. The Army SHARP program is doing a great job at teaching awareness, bystander intervention, and responsive techniques. We teach our SHARP reps what to say or not to say when presented with a report or a complaint in order to prevent re-victimization. We make sure that every Soldier knows who their unit SHARP reps are and where they are located. To prevent the victim from feeling like they are on trial, we urge anyone with knowledge of a SHARP related incident to contact their SHARP reps immediately.

According to the latest report sent to the White House by the Department of Defense, reports are up 50 percent and that victims are more comfortable reporting acts of Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment. The restricted reporting option is there for the victims. Victims of Sexual Assault will often feel like their power to make decisions were taken away. We give them options in order to empower them...all part of the healing process.

The process of eliminating Sexual Assault and Sexual Harassment in our Services is going to be a long process. Leaders must continue to enforce the culture change. If we show the Junior Service Members that we care, instead of belittling the program, we will continue to move forward. My suggestion would be to not tolerate anything. I mean, anything. Whether you are in the field or stuck on an OP (observation post). Thank you for posting!

Response by SPC Charles Griffith made Feb 10 at 2015 8:58 PM

SPC Charles Griffith — Tue, 10 Feb 2015 20:58:07 -0500

How about the REAL MEN start pounding a mudhole in the lowlifes who perpetrate this crap??? Just a thought.

Response by Cpl Jeff N. made Feb 10 at 2015 9:42 PM

Cpl Jeff N. — Tue, 10 Feb 2015 21:42:00 -0500

Some of the statistics I have read from the military report seem incredible. Over 26,000 service members say they were sexually assaulted and half of those were men. Yet there are only about 3300 reports to DoD.

The bottom line for me is you have to be willing to file the report (unrestricted) or little will ever change. The perpetrator will be enabled. The reality is the victim does, in essence, go on trial. They can be questioned, cross examined etc. I don't think you can have an environment where someone can file a charge wiht no concern of being cross examined.

Rape is not about sex, it is about power/control. The military gets it's members from the general population in this country so what does it say about us not just the military?

I don't know what the stats were when I served (likely none kept) but it did not seem to be this large an issue, not even close. There were fewer women and men serving in MOS's together certainly but 1/2 of the victims are men in the current data which means there must be a massive men raping men problem in the military as it doesn't seem possible men are being raped by women, does it?

The output makes me wonder about the accuracy of the survey. Not justifying rape, one is wrong. The data just doesn't pass the sniff test for me.

Response by SSG Private RallyPoint Member made Feb 11 at 2015 6:40 AM

SSG Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 11 Feb 2015 06:40:30 -0500

I believe the current largest issue is the fear of what may happen if they report or the fear of no one believing what they say. Lets be honest males tend to stick together in masses throughout the Military and would in this situation.

I do not think we will ever be able to fix the issue of the victim appearing to be the one in trial. They are the ones making the accusation, therefore the must be able to provide all of the proof that it happened. In my short time in the Army I have witnessed a handful of false claims that were on the verge of ruining peoples careers. Eventually these claims were either proven to be false or the accuser came out and admitted it. For this exact reason it is important that the victim must be able to prove the act took place. I agree that it is hard and victims have a hard time reliving the incident but you are talking about someones life, career and reputation on the line all that hangs in the balance on someones word.

I am not sure if there is a way that we can make a difference, if you put too much power in the victims hand it could result in false reports, and if you put more power with the accused it may give the impression that such acts can go unpunished.

I know this is going to draw a harsh response but everyone knows it has happened many times. I have seen situations in which females have openly put themselves out there, getting absolutely drunk with a group of guys, going home with them and then engaging in the acts when both are highly intoxicated. The next morning just because the regretted what they did is it ok for them to say they were assaulted? If both parties do not remember anything but wake up naked the next morning having been drinking together and doing everything leading up to the eventual intercourse willingly, how can that be construed as sexual assault? This happens more times than it should and there really is no correct answer, but according to my recent SHARP brief, if both parties are drunk its the males fault. How do you come to that conclusion?

I truly believe that sexual assault has no place in the Military and offenders need to be behind bars. In a perfect world I would love to see a better system that would be able effectively deal with sexual assaults and I absolutely agree that the sentences should be stiffer. I am just not sure how reliable the Army Sexual Assault statistics are.

Response by PO3 Dickey Henderson made Sep 22 at 2015 3:10 PM

PO3 Dickey Henderson — Tue, 22 Sep 2015 15:10:51 -0400

What about the rape of young boy in Afghanistan do we expect our military to do nothing, what message are we sending ?

Response by SR Terrilynne Porst made Feb 16 at 2016 6:08 PM

SR Terrilynne Porst — Tue, 16 Feb 2016 18:08:26 -0500

As a victim of MST, I feel the only way things can change is to take it out of the control of the military. Let the investigation be handled by NCIS, etc and the judicial be done by civilian or a special court comprised of civilian and military.

I recently did some research, and found that at least 12 serial killers/rapists served in the military. There are some reports that some started raping while in service (ie Jeffrey Dahmer).

Response by PO3 Julia Perry made Apr 4 at 2016 12:50 AM

PO3 Julia Perry — Mon, 04 Apr 2016 00:50:54 -0400

I'm pretty afraid nothing we do will make a difference. I am one of the very few veterans who has ever won, without a lawyer, an 1151 claim for disability compensation on a diagnosis proven to be the fault of the VA. I was therapeutically deceived, exploited, STALKED across state lines and thrice raped by a VA physician. I got his medical license revoked. The VA's behavior has been shameful. Much retaliation. http://www.facebook.com/emergingfromVArape

Vets Emerging from Sexual Assault BY Someone in the VA

Vets Emerging from Sexual Assault BY Someone in the VA, Huntsville, Alabama. 424 likes · 159 talking about this. Pushing Regs of system towards the...

Response by PFC Victoria Sanders made Apr 4 at 2016 2:57 AM

PFC Victoria Sanders — Mon, 04 Apr 2016 02:57:41 -0400

First the way to get more people to report is when they see convictions of rapist. One way to help that process is to remove the choice of who gets court martial from the chain of command. Have a separate group of investors and lawyers who do not answer to the accused or accuser chain of command. The commanders also choose the jury that is problematic. Rape is very difficult to get proper investigation and convictions. When you have civilian police departments who don't test rape kits those rapist go on to rape again. In Detroit they tested 1800 kits and found hundreds of repeat offenders. This goes back to my first statement more conviction will lead to more reports the victims will have confidence that their complaints will be taken seriously.