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Subscribe to RSSSexual assaults reported by women at military academies rose by 23 per cent in a year across all three U.S. military branches, according to a Pentagon report.
The number of reported sexual assaults rose from 65 in 2021 to 80 during 2012 at the Army's West Point, and the Air Force and Naval Academies.
Sexual assault is defined as everything from "groping" to "rape."
'The Invisible War' takes on military sexual assault 'epidemic'
The Air Force had the highest number of reported sexual assaults, with the figure rising from 33 to 52. The number of sexual assaults at West Point increased from 10 to 15.
The Naval Academy saw a drop in reported sexual assaults from 22 to 13.
Victims of sexual assault in military say brass often ignore pleas for justice
Defense officials stress that the increase in "reported" sexual assaults appears to be the result of a more aggressive campaign by the services to encourage victims to come forward.
Assault victims can now report a sexual assault, receive medical care, but chose to keep their report private and not pursue criminal charges against their assailant.
In 2011 more than 3,000 service members reported sexual assaults but according to the Department of Defense, the real number is closer to 19,000. NBC's Natalie Morales reports.
Although the actual number of reported Navy assaults dropped, defense officials are concerned that there appears to be a "statistical" decrease in the number of "anonymous" reports in Navy surveys. It is feared fewer victims are willing to come forward and report such attacks.
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- Reported sex assaults leap 23 percent at US military academies
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This is only the ones that report it. I'am sure it's worse.
The Air Force leads in numbers. I guess they can't wait to join the mile high club.
Time for a decade ... or two ... around the world where only girl babies are born. The planet needs to heal and repair from all these XY criminals and mental defectives who do nothing but hurt others. On purpose.
littlechanges, nice misandric bile you're spewing, there.
Bravo.
I guess the same way black people can't be racist, women can't be sexist, either.
Children in the U.S. are basically raised with sex on the brain via television, movies, music and even video games. It's all about being hot and sexy these days. It's really sad. Superficiality and the exploitation of sex.
"Rape is both the most under-reported and the most over-reported crime on the books." ---Alan Dershowitz
It's good not everyone reports it, makes the news, but you join the military, you really need to grin and bare it, afterall, you knew what you were signing up for. Gone are the good days when this was swept under the rug. Some things should not be talked about it, people who report it should be ashamed of themselves.
Too obvious, Chris150. A little subtlety makes trolling far more effective.
Are monkeys doing the editing?
Despite what the GOP told us in the last election, legitimate RAPE is NOT acceptable. It's past time that our military leadership and government leadership takes a stand against this type of behavior.
Nice. Take what one Reppublican (who lost his election) says, and ascribe it to the entire Republican party. Do Democrats believe that there are three branches of government, "The House, the Senate, and the President", or was that just Chuck Schumer? Do Democrats believe "the economy is doing fine", or was that just Obama?
Please show a GOP position report on your allegation. Anthony Weiner is a Dem. Do I take his actions as the position of the Democratic party? No.
A brown eye for a brown eye. It is my understanding they have donkey shows in Mexico, may come in handy in this situation.
This coincides with a rise in Christian fundamentalism at the academies. Perhaps the two go hand-in-hand.
This coincides with a rise in progressivism, liberalism, government dependency, the repeal of DADT. Perhaps the two go hand-in-hand
This coincides with the GOP leadership turning their back on our military women. Why just a few months ago, the GOP voted against allowing women (raped WOMEN) who ended up pregnant from using their insurance. Oh wait, the GOP and their christian RIGHT said "GOD" said it was okay and legitimate rape was acceptable.
Perhaps now that the election is OVER and they can't hold women hostage, a new bill will get passed:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/12/18/military-abortion-amendment_n_2324969.html
Now, if the GOP would actually not VETO a BILLION JOBS BILL for our veterans.
http://communities.washingtontimes.com/neighborhood/ad-lib/2012/sep/23/republicans-turn-their-backs-veterans-vote-down-jo/
Looks like the GOP wants to destroy 100 years of the civil rights movement and accept ZERO responsibility for the CRIMINALS that are committing an ATTACK on military women.
It also coincides with the programs and policies put in place that make it easier for women in the military to report sexual assault.
You liberal and conservative ***** are too busy circle******* over there to really notice that.
This is a step forward, not backward. Now they can get a handle on it and correct the issue.
Repeal of DADT? These are men against women pal!!!
Where in the article did it mention the number of the reported cases that were committed by men? Is it impossible for a woman to grope another woman?
Funny you should mention the evangelical connection. The Air Force Academy's leadership is the most active of the Academies in their evangelical Christian proselytizing. Funny coincidence right?
Separate Academies. One for men, one for women.
Yeah right separate but equal…let’s go back to 60’s mentality because these men are not to be held responsible for their inappropriate illegal behavior.
Yes... let's go back 100 years in the civil rights movement. Women were supposed to be in the kitchen, african americans knew their place, christian right winged taliban had more freedom, and of course, and the american white male could do whatever they wanted.
I don't think so... this is 2012, and despite the GOP attack on our civil rights, we are not going back in time.
Yes-lets separate them-because some men can't help but be @!$%#s.You must not think much of your gender.Self control-it's not that hard,women practice it on a daily basis-men should try it sometimes.
lonesome,
what the..., are you writing from Saudi Arabia?
None for men.
Tired of my hard earned tax dollars going to educate for free and then support these criminal freeloader military cretins with high salaries and expensive toys.
littlechanges, were you just dumped by any chance;)?
I doubt littlechanges has ever had any relationship with a male in her life, her Dad probably beat her mom. Regardless she is a sexist moron, nothing to see here. She is probably morbidly obese and hates men because they don't find her attractive. Sad pitiful person.
Obviously her big butch girlfriend dumped her while they were on their way to a Lilith Fair reunion.
I am curious, is the rate of sex assaults at military academies any different that at regular universities?
If so, by how much?
SRK, I was thinking pretty much the same thing. I am willing to bet that the rate is much higher at civilian colleges and universities. Military academies are just held to a higher standard that's all. Either way, wrong is still wrong and zero tolerance needs to apply.
No. The military has always had a much higher instance of sexual assault than the regular civilian population.
I agree with Nicolas, the reason why there are more reported cases this year was some woman came out with alogations in the press and some high ranking officers got their weiners smacked. So there is a bigger spotlight on the cases because in the past if woman reported this behavior it was a sure way to ruin their careers in the service unfortunately. The military never truely liked the idea of woman having equal roles.
Nicholas, do you have any references to back up your statement; "The military has always had a much higher instance of sexual assault than the regular civilian population."? If so, please cite those authoritative statistics.
Also, does your "always" include the time period when the military was all stag?
The rate of assault at the 3 military Academies never exceeded that in other universities.
Our brilliant social engineers want a coed military. To the extent females free males to engage in combat operations it makes sense, as is seen in Israel. To the extent it forces commingling unnecessarily it is folly and yields the obvious.
Right on the money! Well said!
You know, crusty, you can get help for your sexual insecurities.
It's not necessary for you to keep living in fear.
Because according to you-guys are the weaker sex?Glad we got that straight.
Rape has happened in the military before women were ever allowed in. People that commit these crimes do not deserve to be in the military. i am glad all people ( not just women are raped) feel they have the power to stand up against their victimizer to seek justice.
Now imagine how many women and children these mental defective males rape and worse once they are OUT of the academy and in positions of power in the military ... around the world. Probably within their own families, as well. No one really thinks these are isolated incidents, do they? This is who these cowardly males are to their core.
I think the rise in reports is due to the military's recent efforts to bring a more disciplined atmosphere to the academies and the military in general. It's been apparent, at least over the last decade, that there was lax leadership that tolerated all sorts of misconduct, from sexual harassment and assault to religious harassment and who knows what else, and swept it under the rug and hushed the victims. I'm happy to think the authorities are finally cracking down on this, and, hopefully, instituting a zero-tolerance policy.
Separate institutions are not the answer and the separatist concept itself is harmful to society. What is necessary is to teach people to conduct themselves properly and respectfully toward one another in general and in the context of being colleagues in a shared activity.
Somewhere down the line while they were young, these males failed to be properly guided by their parents, who likely raised them like entitled little princes. Kick em' out of the academy and the military and make them pay back taxpayers for that academic free ride, with interest.
The secret assault, male on male, is not appearing here. Do you realize that the VA asks MALES if they were victims of sexual assault in the military as a routine question?
Sorry, OWIF, I didn't quite follow your last comment
Not very surprising; however, the militaries tolerance is a little surprising.
This is a little off subject, but I am surprised that such overweight people as pictured in the story, got into a military academy.
Unlikely they are overweight Bill...pictures are often deceiving.
Bill, did you stop to consider some of those individuals may be former military?
I guess the mentality they drum in to new recruits every day in the academy's, honor, pride, looking out for your fellow officers don't apply to women. And to think these young individuals may one day be held in high regard. :)
Someone missed an obvious edit. The year 2021?? What time frame is this actually?
"The number of reported sexual assaults rose from 65 in 2021 to 80 during 2012 at the Army's West Point, and the Air Force and Naval Academies."
Nice headline MSNBC..."leap 23%"...while mathematically correct, going from 65 to 80 is hardly earthshattering for a total of ~25,000 students across all 5 of the service academies. These numbers pale in comparison to the average university.
Don't get me wrong...one sexual assualt is one too many as far as I'm concerned and I believe we should be holding our service academies to a higher standard, but this article makes it sound as though the sky is falling.
DSP - CAPT/USNR
You would think that in such a strict setting, rapes would not be so common... Yet we focus on how women are treated in other countries and turn our heads when it happens in our own nation.
And where do they get time for all this?
5 years in prison and a dishonorable discharge that states rapist on it ought to help ! Once again our no balls leadership can't deal with anything !
When my daughter graduated from high school, she was at a loss to decide her future. I made an appointment with a Navy recruiter for her, and my ex refused to let her go, saying the military rarely keeps its promises to recruits. Turns out there was a better reason, the likelihood she'd be raped or otherwise sexualy abused. She became a computer techie, and a good one. I'll leave it there.
strong character that daughter daddy refused to let her go? she would not have fared well in the military
And the hits just keep on coming. The boys will be boys syndrome will continue with these cretins until they are so severely punished that this kind of behavior will be career ending.
..every time I hear "boy will be boys" i am reminded of another colloquialism (borrowed from Shakespeare): hell hath no fury like a woman scorned.
wow why are all the females in the photo chubsters? now because the country is so pc that it doesnt want to offend or exclude anyone, our once mighty and feared military is the laughing stock of the world.
Ucle Henry, Rape is never about sexual attraction, it's about establishing power and dominance and having an underlying rage and fear of women. And, in case you are too stupid to understand that, and you still want to make it about attraction, thes women are all very attractive. Perhaps not to you, with your limited view of womens worth being based on their looks, but there are many men who are attracted to plus size women. And I would dare to say oour military is hardly the laughing stock of the world. If that were so, why is our approval courted so stringently by other governments? We arae strong, we are powerful and we are respected around the world. I doubt that any government will judge out military might by the weight of the women in the military.
cool your jets sister i was making the observation that the females pictured look over-weight and no where near fit enough to serve in the military. i didnt mention anything about their attractiveness or the psychology behind rape. we are neither strong or respected around the world anymore thanks to people like you who insist anyone can do any job. please get off the internet. thanks.
Uncle Henry, as I said to someone else above. Did it not occur to you that some of those ladies pictured above may no longer be active duty military?
just keep the women out of the military problem solved most are ugly and only looking for a husband
You sir, are a misogynist moron. Get back under your rock.
I swear, the number of woman hating trolls on these comment boards makes me think they are seeded with non-western men, just to stir up trouble....
This whole thing is still from the higher up officers who still think that woman are fair game in peace time as well as war time.
They still see women as objects to be used at their disposal. Not on the same level as a man, because well, you can't be manly with man prerogatives if you are a woman. You deserve less respect than a man.
That comes all the way from the Commander in Chief and his control over the military and what will and will not be aloud.
If Obama really was a Commander in Chief, he would take control over all the schools and demand from his subordinates, which is every general who serves under him, to make sure every single man is charged and kicked out. Make it very, very crystal clear, from this day, it will not be tolerated.
Women in the military are not going away.
Using rape as way to discourage serving ones country just shows how disgustingly, mindless the fat, old, and incompetent the generals who run the top military schools are in their thinking.
They are as bad as religious leaders who still treat woman like 2 class and that some God told them they have the right to lord it over the female species.
Ignorant, fat, old men who still think like it's 2000 years ago and thumb their Bibles and Korans (that were written by, ignorant, fat, old men), every day to prove it.
HELO-O-O-O! Why is this activity such a shocker, and surprise?
Trying to say no to nature's natural forces is truly a bad idea, and should have been the guiding thought when the politicians caved into the liberal, tree hugging idiots that had (in all of their wisdom) decided that putting women into a mix of young, hormone driven men in their sexual prime would have no untoward consequences.
So it's natural to want to rape someone? You're sick. you need to seek mental help.
How can you say something so stupid, Human? Are men completely incapable of exercising self control when they have to work side by side with women. Is rape a normal reaction when men are exposed to the presence of women? If this be so, our whole society is in big trouble. Wait, I have a solution...women should take over the whole country. Every elected office should be held by women, with no man able to run for office or even vote. Upon reaching an age where they are compelled to rape (12-13 seems about right to me), they will be taken into custody and held in a comfortable but impregnable place, where they would be forced to make 10 donations to a sperm bank and then be castrated. No exceptions will be allowed. Once the castration has completely destroyed their sexual ability they would be released and allowed to go and live their lives, free of the burden of uncontrollable urges to rape women. If they marry, their wives can access the sperm bank to become pregnant when they are ready to have babies. How's that for a solution? Sounds pretty good to me, if what you say is true and young men simply can't spend time in the presence of women without raping them. That is what you're saying isn't it?
So you give the proverbial 'nod' for somebody to rape your sisters, daughters or mother because they were near a 'hormone driven' male who couldn't, even with a brain, control his animal instincts? I'm guessing all of the above lock their doors at night when in the same location as you? Many of these military woman are raped by military men who come into their rooms during the night. Yet, you believe this is justified by 'animal' instinct so the criminal is not at fault?
Your statement leads one to believe that this is the excuse you used for the rape you committed and it's commonly used by sexual predators who prey upon children, women and yes, men too.
LadyC lotsanumbers-
Please read the post above mine. Then read what I wrote in response. then stop talking until you know what you're talking about. have a good day.
LadyC first you owe Human an apology and second your comment is stupid!
I already know that there is an (unconvicted) rapist in the current freshman class at The Citadel. All young ladies in Charleston, SC need to steer clear of them!
name please!
I sincerely hope that this is only an increase in reporting, and not an increase in assaults.