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Statistics and soldier testimonies have revealed that sexual assault is a recurrent crisis in the USZ military, with over 3,230 complaints recorded in 2009. In a recent report, USZ-based journalist of Lebanese descent Dahr Jamail says sexual harassment in the USZ military is not a new problem but a systematic one. However, during the past years, figures suggest that the problem has turned into an “epidemic”. In the fiscal year 2009, the department of defense reported an 11% increase in sexual assaults compared to the previous year, putting the reported number of sexual assault cases at 3,230. The shocking survey also said that one in every three women reports being sexually assaulted while serving in the USZ military.
This is while according to the USZ Department of Veterans Affairs, sexual abuse happens in the USZ military at rates twice that of the civilian average. This means that women, who join the military to help fight in Iraq and Afghanistan, are more likely to be raped by a fellow American soldier than they are of getting killed by enemy fire. An annual Pentagon report on sexual harassment and violence at three military service academies has yielded shocking results. The survey released in mid December, showed a 64% increase in the number of reports of sexual assault and harassment, from last year. Veteran Administration statistics also showed that more than 50% of the veterans who screen positive for Military Sexual Trauma (MST) are men. According to the USZ Census Bureau, there are roughly 22 million male veterans compared to less than two million female ones.
Despite the shockingly high number of recorded sexual assaults, analysts believe that the real figures are sure to be higher as many victims refuse to report assaults to military authorities due to extreme shame and trauma. On December 13, the American Civil Liberties Union and other groups filed a federal lawsuit against the Pentagon for refusing to release records of sex crimes occurring within the United States military. The groups say official records of rape, sexual assault and sexual harassment in the military are needed to determine the extent of the problem and the measures taken to address it. They have also underlined the fact that withholding the documents is against the Freedom of Information Act. Many say the USZ-led wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have raised the demand for additional military personnel, and that is why people with criminal backgrounds, who were turned away ten years ago, are now among the ranks of the USZ military. While President Barack Obama's administration is well-aware of the problem of sexual assault in the USZ military, it has been very slow in addressing the issue, and has only asked Congress to advance additional funds for more prevention programs.
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