Coming back here to the desert - as awful as it is, is like visiting an old lover. The moment I got off the plane, I was hit with the memories long forgotten, since I was last here in 2004. With the memories also came the scents and sounds that made me remember the old days - a natural high that I couldn't have gotten from anything else.
But just like meeting an old lover, I also sense there is something extremely wrong - and there is. When last we gathered, the F-words I was most concerned with were freedom, fucking and football. Now, with the discovery of feminism, things have changed a little bit.
Just this week, a report came out that sexual assaults in the military is on the rise - no surprise there. Where it gets surprising is that, rather than talking about effective ways of preventing sexual assaults, military spindoctors are talking about the military's effectiveness is getting victims to report. In a sense, rather than worrying about preventing the problems, the military is patting itself on the back for getting accurate numbers of victims.
This, too, isn't surprising. For all it's done correctly - and there are many, the military failed at preventing sexual assaults. Oh, believe me, it tries - but the preventative programs for sexual assaults it employs consists of telling Soldiers how not to get assaulted rather than telling potential rapists not to rape.
On a sign in front of the Post Exchange is the question: "Where is your battle buddy? Help prevent sexual assault - always have a buddy."
You see, when it comes to gender relations, the military is a slow learner. It fails to understand that often times, it is the buddy that's doing the raping. In short, for the military, rape is still an act in which big, bad men are lurking in the dark, waiting for nimbled damsels in distress to walk by, then proceed to rape them.
Further, the responsibility of rape is yet, once again, put on the victims. I am a man - so I can say this - although with great embarrassment: I am a potential rapist. All men are potential rapists. Yet, rather than focusing on teaching men to come to terms with their masculinities and gender roles, which put sexual conquests as being paramount, the military is teaching women not to shower at night. What of their access to the public spheres?
You see, I understand - I understand that to teach Soldiers feminist values somehow "emasculates" them, and in a culture in which masculinities and power are paramount for the accomplishment of the mission, this can present a problem.
But if the military is serious about is inclusion of women in the military and wants and strives for equality, then this is something that has to happen - both because it is the morally right thing to do, and secondly, because anything else would be a public relations nightmare.
Rather than teaching men that no means no, the military is putting emphasis on not having sex in theater because "she might claim rape to save her military career." Instead of acknowlging the fact that, indeed, men do rape, and that most of those rapes happen in barracks, on dates and four-day passes, often involving acquaintances, the military is using scare tactics - and certainly a form of misogyny, to make men distrust women, and worst, spread the beliefs that every rape case is yet another Duke incident.
So, what to do: I've talked with my chain-of-command in taking on additional duties as the Sexual Assault Prevention Coordinator, and I eventually hope to make enough of an impact in which this becomes an military-wide program. As well, I am writing a letter-the-editor with the Stars and Stripes. With a worldwide circulation in the US, Europe and other theaters of operations, I hope this can change a mind or two - and even better, if the letter catches the eye of a high-ranking general who truly wants to stop sexual assault, then perhaps, just perhaps, we can bring some much-needed feminism to the military.
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you just made my birthday! hope is a great present.
If this works in the military, maybe it can be an example for the rest of the nation?
great post and well written - the first paragraph actually sounds like the beginning of a novel.
It sounds like you may be the first person to get the picture. The solidarity needed between soldiers to go into combat makes acquaintance rape particularly egregiously perverted. You're supposed to trust your fellow soldiers with your life. How can that happen when they rape you??
I just went back to Boston to visit a friend (also in the military) last weekend and he was running late due to a sexual assault investigation with two men--yes, TWO--and one woman. Apparently, the incident had happened more than a month ago, but the woman had just come forward with it.
Thank you for being another male feminist and for doing the work to help prevent violence against women. You CAN make a difference.
I don't have anything to add to a discussion, I just want to give mad props. :)