According to (Heather and Cobb-Clark, 2006), sexual harassment is one of the issues that affect the workplace in the modern society. The consequences associated with sexual harassment include: reduced psychological well-being, physical health problems and symptoms of traumatic stress (Anonymous, 2010). Erin, (2006) argues that in the military, these conditions are becoming common, and violate all the United States Army purports to represent. Sexual harassment and sexual assault refer to conditions whereby sexual contact is intended through circumstances where force, threats, intimidation or abuse of authority are applied (Anna, 2012). On a wider scale it may include situations such as rape, forced oral or anal sex or any other form of unwanted sexual contact, which involves abuse or wrongful conduct. Bill (2011) asserts that the United States Army has indicated trends of rising numbers of reported sexual assaults over the past few years especially among the active duty service members deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Military Sexual Trauma is the term used by the Department of Veterans Affairs to describe the forms of sexual harassment that occur among female and male military service members (Turchik, et al, 2012). It describes facts that have been reported where male and female service members often fall victim of sexual victimization. A study conducted in 2010 indicated that about 6.1% of women and 1.2% of men who serve in the military had encountered instances of sexual harassment and assault in one way or another (Joyce, 2013). These figures have slightly changed over the years as instances are recorded annually with most women indicating severe attempts of sexual harassment and assault. The study showed that out of the women who indicated instances of sexual assault 26% had gone through attempted sex ordeals while 31% claimed that they had gone through the entire sex assault (Joyce, 2013).
These incidents were recorded to have taken place at military installations, where about 67% indicated that they encountered these forms of sexual harassment during working hours or rather duty hours (PR Newswire, 2013). Most of the victims in the military gave information that drove to the point that about 94% of the offenders were mostly male with only a few having been assaulted by females. This also led to the derivation that the offenders ranged from military coworkers to other military persons who had higher ranks or were not in their chain of command. About 23-28% of women in the military encounter sexual assaults with only 11% who experience rape ordeals (PR Newswire, 2013). These numbers have continued to rise as the roles of women continue to increase in the war zones in areas such as Iraq and Afghanistan.
According to Firestone, Hackett and Harris, (2011), among the many victims of sexual assault and harassment in the military most of them have indicated traumatic encounters where inappropriate jokes and flirting were involved. This is coupled with a high number of service men and women who have reported instances rape (Harris & Firestone, 2010). The effects of these victims differ due to the diverse experiences that are associated with sexual trauma on service members. The effects of sexual harassment and assault alter the way the victims consider themselves as they take away their power and lower their self-esteem. Most victims fear reporting such incidents as they fear and feel ashamed since their sexuality has been violated and abused (Anna, 2012). These incidents bring about difficult situations where the victims are unable to trust others even their own friends. They question their coworkers due to the fact that it was them who violated their sexuality in the first place. It affects their judgment of others as they feel that they do not trust themselves even after realizing that their brothers and sisters in the army have betrayed them (Campbell and Raja2005).
The effects of sexual harassment and assault deteriorate the way the victim’s reason and respond to certain situations. The impacts are associated with sexual trauma that has negative outcomes in the victim’s psychological and physical health. It affects the victim’s relationship with their coworkers and leads to denial (Bill, 2013). These negative effects include: anxiety, depression, anger suicidal ideation as well as self-blame. This is coupled with instances of alcoholism and abuse of drugs and other substances as well as traumatizing memories of the ordeal. Similarly, there are other effects that occur in the way the service members respond to work elated situations as they lose concentration and are mostly distracted (Kayla, 2013). Most victims in the military have reported cases of lack sleep which may affect their reasoning. The victims suffer from post-traumatic stress disorders as they are no more able to share their thoughts with others. Kayla (2013) further states that most of them, blame themselves for the ordeals and thus encounter emotional breakdown. This has been evidenced in the way service members react to situations related to their family relationships. This is a very crucial issue considering that they are military service members who are supposed to be on guard at all times (Olson, 2013).
The United States Army has intensified their activities to address sexual assaults by initiating programs and incentives that prevent such instances. The leaders have emerged to support the issue where they encourage the service men and women to report such encounters (Newton, 2013). They have also put in place measures that facilitate the decrease of sexual harassment/assaults in the military. This is evidenced through programs such as the Sexual Harassment/Assault Response Prevention that deals with reduction of the disgrace brought about by sexual violation (Schultz, 2006). They encourage service members to report these cases which will be assessed critically to provide care and protection for the victims. This will be carried out through investigative procedures that will ensure that the perpetrators account for their offenses. The SHARP in collaboration with other arms of the army such as the Depart of Defense have developed ways in which the service members can be provided for (Newton, 2013).
The Sexual Harassment/Assault Response Prevention has ensured strategies that keep the service men and women in a safe environment. This is done through various imperatives such as: the prevention of sexual offenders from engaging in crimes which is accompanied by the provision of compassion among the victims, it also ensures the protection of the privacy and the rights of the survivors (Firestone & Harris, 2004). Similarly, the SHARP program ensures that all the cases against alleged sexual harassment and assault are reported and investigations are thoroughly done. This also promotes a trustworthy and respectful environment where all the soldiers can work accordingly (Stander, et al, 2007). In addition to this, the program has ensured that all the service members within the organization are held accountable for their actions which include even the commanders of various units. The other imperative that describes the effects that the military has taken to decrease sexual harassment or assault incidents in the military includes fully engaging the chain of command in handling the challenges related to sexual harassment or assault (Alex, 2012). This should be observed at all ranks to bring back the trust among the soldiers and the society.
Firestone and Harris (2009) argue that, the positive effects ensured by the military in accordance to decrease of sexual harassment or sexual assault incidents include the establishment of programs and initiatives such as the Sexual Assault Reports for Incidents Prior to Service. This is coupled with the Sexual Assault Prevention and Response program that is set up by the Department of Defense to help in responding and preventing crimes of sexual assault (Anna, 2012). Their main objectives include preventing these assaults by providing effective programs with the aim of restoring faith and confidence in the values observed by the military. This helps in ensuring that the team is committed to maintaining professionalism by eradicating any form of sexual assault. Additionally, the program requires high levels of competence in the investigations and reprimanding of the perpetrators by using the best resources to provide best results on time (Anna, 2012). It also helps motivate the victims to be resilient by ensuring standardized systems that measure and evaluate every aspect of the program.
One of the negative effects ensured by the military in regard to decreasing sexual harassment or assault incidents in the military is that they privatize the cases of assault. The top ranking officials inflict fear upon the victims and at times threaten them with transfers (Lipari & Lancaster, 2003). The military also covers up for offenders by taking no action on them. Studies have indicated that about 19% of the victims end up being harassed for reporting sexual harassment where 2% of these victims claimed that the offenders were stalking them (Elig, 2003). Many of the ordeals that occur largely affect the women and a significant portion of the men.
Theoretical Perspectives and findings
In 2012, about 6.1% of women, and 1.2% of men serving in the military reported instances of sexual harassment and assault (Joyce, 2013). These numbers had slightly increased over the years due to the large number of women who had enrolled to serve the military. The service members claimed that the policies and practices ensured by the military to eradicate sexual harassment were very helpful. This included 88% of women and 94% of the men in the military who were pleased with the initiative to promote a conducive environment where confidence and trustworthy units were upheld (Joyce, 2013). The programs put in place by the military ensured that the victims were well represented in terms of reporting cases to the required facilities. They also ensured that the sexual assault response cases and the victim advocated as well as the medical and mental health personnel were authorized to receive restricted reports. The other policies ensured by the military in collaboration with the department of defense were required to facilitate reporting to medical and law enforcement personnel (Newton, 2013).
The incidents reported in the studies conducted indicated that most of the ordeal took place during occupational special and technical training institutions. Most of the incidents reported indicated that the offenders were either fellow workmates especially among women (PR Newswire, 2013). However, there were few instances recorded of perpetrators being other military persons of higher rank/grade who were not in the same unit. This was also evidenced through the experiences given by victims who indicated that the chain of command in their unit contributed less on the sexual harassment. Leaders and top ranking officials were not majorly involved in the sexual harassment activities as evidence indicates that only a few had engaged in such ordeals over the years (Schultz, 2006). The victims were very pleased with the policies put in place as the perpetrators would be brought to book for their offenses. Similarly, drugs were noted to be a major cause of the harassment with 50% of the women victims indicating that the offenders were under the influence of some substance (Bill, 2011). The use of force was applied to instances of threats against the victim’s reputation being used to make them cooperate. Physical harm was another threat issued by the offenders if the victims failed to comply.
Myths and Misconceptions
The first myth and misconception that people have about sexual harassment and assault is that it is only the women who get sexually assaulted. This is not the case as men get raped and sexually assaulted which can be evidenced through the 3.5% of men who report incidents of sexual harassment (Turchik, et al, 2012). The number is relatively lower than that if women due to the fact that the military is a male dominated field with fewer women involved. The other myth is that the victims are sexually assaulted by strangers or unknown people at weird place. The truth of the matter is that the perpetrators are well known people to the victims with studies indicating about 85% of the rapist to be coworkers or friends. This is accompanied by the fact that 50% of the assaults have been reported to take place around the women’s home and during the day (Campbell and Raja2005). The third misconception that people have about the sexual assaults in the military is that the victims who were under the influence of alcohol are to be blamed. This is followed by the myth that most of the incidents reported are often false as the victims feel guilty for having sex. These myths are unjustified as the victims are not accountable for the misconducts of the perpetrators.
Incidentally, other myths about the issues of sexual assault include the ideology that the offenders emanate from various backgrounds or races or the misconception that if the victim did not resist or fight back, then it was not an assault (Schultz, 2006). Others think that instances of rape occur as a result of desire or passion for the victim while instead they are considered crimes of violence and anger (Schultz, 2006). This is accompanied by the misconception that sexual assault occurs to people who have sexual frustration or are lured by the victims through ways of seduction or inappropriate dressing. This myth is totally deceiving people due to the fact that no one wants to be assaulted and the mode of dressing does not play any role in the incident (Campbell and Raja2005). In the military, myths of sexual harassment claim that the policies and practices observed by the law bring out the negative aspect of sexuality and consider sexual harassment as a minor issue. Others believe that sexual harassment and assault in the military is a minor problem that involves flirting while in real sense it brings about severe conditions and effects to the victims' lives.
Medical issues related to the issue
The medical issues related to the issue of sexual harassment and assault includes disorder acquired by the victims. These conditions include post traumatic disorders which entail distressing memories and nightmares as well as traumatic ordeals. This also includes severe encounters where depression is involved as well as suicidal ideation. The military in collaboration with the Department of Defense have ensured that have ensured that any sexual assault cases are treated as medical emergencies (Heather and Cobb-Clark, 2006). They have put I place measures that ensure quality standards of medical assistance and counseling are provide to the victims. They have also ensured that the service men are trained on how to deal with instances of sexual assault. This is coupled with medical and mental health personnel who have been authorized to receive restricted reports of sexual assaults (Anonymous, 2010).
The SHARP program
The Sexual Harassment/Assault Response Prevention program has influence in the soldiers in that offers an understanding of the actions supposed to be maintained by individuals and leaders. It defines the standards and policies that should be upheld in order to provide a conducive environment for the soldiers. It ensures that the policies related to sexual assault and harassment are properly enforced and executed where training initiative and educational programs are put in place (Erin, 2006). The chain of command is obligated to protect and fight for the rights of the victims where reports should be encouraged to assist them. The SHARP program ensures that the rope ranking officers create and provide initiate healthy climates that maintain the trust and respect of the service men and the military. The program also assists in the resolving crimes against sexual harassment as it has initiatives that evaluate the conditions in the command units as well as the leaders. It also assists the victims to seek assistance by providing judicial support and privileges for them. This is coupled with the investigations carried out to ensure appropriate action is taken (Erin, 2006).
References
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