I readily admit that crimes happen within the military and perhaps being a veteran, I am acting defensively but I disagree with this MSNBC article, based upon it's own figures;
http://usnews.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2012/06/21/12304042-documentary-film-the-invisible-war-takes-on-military-sexual-assault-epidemic?lite I think it is just another case of unfairly sensationalizing some very sad but real events. Of course, no decent person approves of any kind of assault or rape, but the numbers and situationas I see it, does not make an
epidemic.. True, if you're the victim it is a catastrophy..but I think MSNBC is
reaching for a story, to say the least.
They say 3,192 such cases have been reported..which ranged from outright rape to unwanted touching. Note; that is reported not, not necessarily proven.
So I dug up latest figures I could find, from 2010. The "documentary" didn't differentiate between regulars and reserve components, so I will include both..
1,458,327 regulars
857,261 reserve components
_________
2,315,588 total military
Now, let's consider any city of 2.3 million people..can we expect as many as 3,192 cases of everything from rape to inappropriate touching ? I think the civilian figures might be much higher among 2.3 million people. Yes, some cases will go unreported, but this is also true in civilian circumstances.
Now consider that the military is being used as a "social engineering" project, throwing together all types of people in very trying conditions.
During my time with Uncle Sam the WACs were billeted seperately and in most jobs did not have 24 hour contact with the men. They were also excluded from combat units and basic training was segregated, and a soldier had best not be caught 'hanging around' the WACs barracks. By billeting the sexes together, I believe the "smart heads" in Washington are inviting a whole host of unnecessary problems.
Now the administration has insisted that gays may operate openly..has that helped with raising the figures ?
Again, nobody should condone rape ...or inappropriate touching but by comparing this with any city of 2.3 million.. I think MSNBC in this article is treating the military shabbily. Perhaps that is their aim..