Posted on May 2, 2016
How the Military Retaliates Against Sexual Assault Victims
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There is already a policy in place that makes it a crime to retaliate against someone that has reported or believe they have reported a crime. It has not stopped the retaliation against sexual assault targets that filed a report of the crime. What can be done to defeat the rampant retaliation endured by sexual assault targets?
How the Military Retaliates Against Sexual Assault Victims
Posted from pbs.org
Military Sexual Trauma (MST)
PTSD
Suicide
Leadership
Women in the Military
Edited >1 y ago
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 27
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CSM (Join to see) A disturbing article and based on hard data, not entirely anecdotal accounts. Also disappointing is the attitude of the top AF General in charge at the time of the AF sexual assault prevention and response office to down-play the extent of the problem (limited to pockets) and rationalizing why it has taken so long to begin retaliation preventive measures. (Had to get a handle on assaults first). Would be interesting to see if there has been a follow-up by the author since last year or any more recent service reports. Retaliation should be dealt with as harshly as the initial assault.
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SFC (Join to see)
Having watched my wife endure some of these tactics I believe the punishment should be harsher. The reprisals took more away from her than the harassment. We were prison guards so we expect to hear certain things from inmates, but from other service members and then to be summarily dismissed as a trouble maker and then fired without cause it was something she has never really gotten over.
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Capt Tom Brown
SFC (Join to see) - I have heard horror stories from victims of what the service(s) put them through in order to prosecute these perps/ As you say what they endure at the hands of the system leaves lasting scars on their psyches as much or more so than the core abuse and harassment.
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In late 2012 I was detailed to watch "The Silent War" about five victims that had to endure more abuse, reprisals, and alienation by their abusers. I know from first hand experience seeing my wife go through these same things. It's as powerless as I have ever felt and I was her care giver during her cancer treatment. It's sad that I felt I had more power over cancer than I did over the system that was supposed to protect my wife. I could never understand how I could believe in the rules, but others basically pissed all over them and acted out with brazen impunity.
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CSM (Join to see)
SFC Michael Goentzel,
Please get her to one of the Healing Retreats. Her fight will come out of Hibernation. Thank you for being the "Rock" she needed through this horrible process. Some people go through it alone and have a very sad outcome, which is completely caused by the incident(s) and the way they were treated afterwards. The "Invisible War" was pretty moving to watch. GI Jane
Please get her to one of the Healing Retreats. Her fight will come out of Hibernation. Thank you for being the "Rock" she needed through this horrible process. Some people go through it alone and have a very sad outcome, which is completely caused by the incident(s) and the way they were treated afterwards. The "Invisible War" was pretty moving to watch. GI Jane
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SFC (Join to see)
CSM (Join to see) - That was the name of it. I've recommends those retreats and such, but she's pretty much wrapped herself in work and it begins WW3 if I bring it up. I've learned to tread lightly.
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CSM (Join to see)
If it brings about WW3 then she really needs to go to a healing retreat. I gave facilitated a Self-Nurture workshop in FEB at Ft Bliss, TX. It was a four hour workshop on a Saturday. Maybe she could start with that.
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