Visit: http://humanrightswatch.org/women/conflict.html
also: http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2007/03/07/women_in_military/
And watch the very short film: http://www.mediathatmattersfest.org/6/in_transit/
Of course, like everyone else, the topics of this week’s readings are shocking and very disturbing. It is not, however, something I am unaware of. I had female friends from the military tell me exactly this sort of stuff. And being that I watch shows like Dateline and 60 Minutes, I have seem my share of news stories about sex trafficking.
The sex traffic trade is disgusting to me. I wonder how in the world anyone can think that it is ok to have sex with women or girls (as many of these sex slaves are very young) in these sex operations? I agree with the notion of targeting the buyers (whom I deem to be sexual predators), however I think the consequences should be much more strict. They should be charged large fines and shamed in the public eye by large visible billboards and public announcements of their crimes. The billboards could be of the man’s picture and some strongly worded message indicating that this man was convicted of aiding in the illegal and immoral act of having unconsentual sex with a sex slave. (A slave cannot consent to something – the nature of slavery is that she is being forced, even if she stops fighting.) Also, they should have their visa’s retracted and have sexual predator stamped on their passport if they are foreign.
On the other side of the equation, are the females being used and abused. First of all, there is the physical damage they endure. The film “In Transit” shows directly how violent rape causes vesico-vaginal fistulas. (www.mediathatmatters.org) Even though this film was focusing this happening in war, violent rape can be expected to happen to these sex-slaves also, and so I postulate that this is a potential physical problem for these women. Certainly HIV is a sincere concern for these women and girls, not to mention other STD’s. Additionally, the psychological damage being done to these poor women and girls is devastating. As the story about Siri relates, “the pimp uses culture and religion to reinforce his control over Siri”. This is psychological brainwashing. Placed in this sort of constant mentally abusive environment and being told that “she must have committed terrible sins in a past life” to have to suffer so terribly in this life will most definitely have the effect of making the girl believe that she must endure her “enslavement and abuse” and cause her to become hopeless and thus easier to control (Leuchtag pg 581).
The accountability that I call for in dealing with sex tourists, I can apply to the problem of men using rape and sexual assault against women in the military. Obviously, this is not an unknown problem, as is shown in our reading which talks about “a 2004 study of veterans from Vietnam and all the wars since, who were seeking help for post-traumatic stress disorder, found that 71 percent of the women said they were sexually assaulted or raped while in the military” (women in the military website).
I have a question, where are the military men who are against rape? Why are they silent? Their silence makes them complicit in the abuse. Also to blame are the ones who lead the troops. I propose that blame for this problem can be spread far and wide, clear up to the Commander In Chief. These men, regardless of rank or position, must be held accountable for their actions. A strict and precise response must be made. I suggest that any military man who rapes be immediately held as a criminal and be given a dishonorable discharge and be charged with rape. This is a sexual assault and should be held as one of the worst crimes one can commit. The added insult of doing this to a fellow military person is cruel and unusual and should be seen as an even greater crime. I also suggest that anyone who is found to be complicit in a sexual assault be held accountable and given training in the difference between right and wrong and how to stand up against these abuses.
Training, attitude change, accountability, public notice, and criminal prosecution are some of the ways in which these problems can be addressed.
My post doesn’t really touch on the need to create a more supportive environment for these women to come out and tell the truth about what is happening in the military. But this is another front that needs to get attention. Throwing a pretty website at the problem is merely lip service and will not protect these women from the predators in their midst.
Recovery Roxx 