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Response: Rape victims say military labels them ‘crazy’ (CNN)
I saw this article today on my twitter feed posted by PsychNews (https://twitter.com/#!/PsychNews). The US military and right win military supporters have been some of the best victim blamers out there so I wasn’t surprised to see that “crazy” would be the new “liar”. As I kept reading I began to feel offended, not just as a woman but as a “crazy” person. This article is just all types of offensive!
2010
Rape victims say military labels them ‘crazy’
First, how DARE you, military, find a way to shut up these women who have bravely wanted to serve their country and were then betrayed by their fellow male comrades in such a violating way as sexual assault!!! Is this a way to “encourage” women to get them out of the army? I have heard such influential people like Rick Santorum say that women shouldn’t be in the US military (Rick Santorum: Women in combat could create ‘compromising situation’ because of emotion) so it’s not a far cry for me to think this! I can think of no better way to tell a woman to fuck off than to deny her rape and punish HER for it and not her attacker!
Despite the Defense Department’s “zero tolerance” policy, there were 3,191 military sexual assaults reported in 2011. -CNN
Second, how DARE you use mental illness as excuse! I don’t even know if I could accurately put it into words why I’m angered by this but I’ll try. This is sort of when my anger towards this article turns from sexual assault to mental health. I’m offended that having a mental illness could be a reason to deny someone access into a job. While understanding the reasoning such as needing people who are fit to do the missions that need to be done (like killing people!) I don’t think it should be generalized to an entire population of people! this is especially when true when many leave amazing soldiers and veterans “normal” and come back “crazy”! It should be determined on a person-by-person basis if they would be fit to join the military. Technically by the standards of my “illness” I should not be a good worker, friend, partner, parent and overall person but I do excel in my relationships and self esteem! To blame mental illness is to make our lives (those with mental health issues) appear to be less than, something you can be penalized for and just as a plan old excuse…my life shouldn’t be an excuse!
From 2001 to 2010, the military discharged more than 31,000 service members because of personality disorder. -CNN
Third, the article continues to promote mental illness stigma by using the parts of the interview that has the women saying. “I’m not crazy…I’m relatively normal” and “I remember thinking this is absurd…I’m very clear of mind”. They then proceed to say that since these women were functional they clearly didn’t have a personality disorder. Way to draw the normal/crazy dichotomy!
I just hate the generalization! I know mental health directly isn’t the focus, the focus is ignoring sexual assaults, but I can’t help but notice this and be bothered by it. I’m tired of my life being the scapegoat, I’m tired of being underestimated and I’m completely tired of mental health stigma not being acknowledge! It’s so ingrained that we end up stigmatizing that population when we’re trying to draw attention to another stigmatizing problems! “I was sexually assaulted, I’m not crazy!” GAHHHHHH
EDUCATE!
The US military needs to smarten the hell up! You are the top line of defense your country has and you not only shit on your female employees by punishing them for being sexually assaulted but you shit on ALL American women when you deny the attacks of these women! Why should anyone feel safe around you? These “men” who are supposed to be serving their country with honor sexually assault their female comrades they are in fact a disgrace to the USA! DO NOT PROTECT THEM!
Stephanie Schroeder, Anna Moore, Jenny McClendon and Panayiota Bertzikis say they were raped and then discharged from the military.
Canada is not innocent in this either!
2007/2008: Canadians who witnessed Afghan forces sexually abuse young boys were told not to get involved and these incidents were never reported. (Sex abuse and silence exposed: DND brass told of rape of boys by Afghan allies, Don’t look, don’t tell troops told)
2010: A military judge sentenced ex-Corporal Alex Lough to 34-months in prison, unable to own or handle a gun for 10 years and had to register with the Canadian sex offender registry and provide a DNA sample after sexually assaulting two female cadets and a cadet instructor. (http://blogs.ottawacitizen.com/2011/11/25/Military judge sentences former CFB cold lake aviation tech for sex assault)
2011: Report finds that child sex abuses are higher in Canadian military than in the rest of the population (Report finds relatively high rate of sex abuse in Canada’s military)
2012: Former military medic faces numerous sexual assault charges that had taken place between 2002-2009 (Former military medic faces charges)
WTF is going on with the military!?!?!?!?! It’s not really a problem with the military, sexual assault and abuse is out there and it only makes statistical sense that it would pop up in the military, but I guess it’s the perception we carry of what the military is about, who joins vs who doesn’t, that shocks us. Those who are supposed to be our “finest” are doing the unspeakable!
I don’t know if I’m horribly biased but it seems like when it comes to its own soldiers Canada can react to sexual assaults unlike the USA who hides it. Canada is clearly failing in properly protecting civilians in the countries they are stationed in. It’s disgusting for me to think that my country’s military has allowed young children to be abused by their own police and army!
We clearly need a revamp as well!
Hey, Army people! Do your job and keep us and the world safe! You’re kinda failing right now!
Support those soldiers who conduct themselves with pride, dignity and believe in their role as a protector of freedoms and not just the freedoms of their own country but the freedoms and safety of those in other countries!
