• He-Said, She-Said

  August 27, 2010

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  female   life   rights   women   issues   west-point  

  A blog written for the Service Women's Action Network, when asked to write about a woman's issue I see at West Point

  He-Said, She-Said

  The Changing Aspects of Sexual Assault at the US Military Academy at West Point

  Sexual Assault is a well-known issue within the service academies, if not the most well-known issue. Sexual assault has always been based on a power and control factor and almost all cases occur when male students assault female students. Today West Point cadets are beginning to notice a different problem. In addition to the issue of sexual assault, there is a new and quickly growing problem: sexual assault cases that are false. These cases are the ones that make it hard for women who have truly been assaulted feel comfortable reporting their case, under fear that no one will believe them. Why is this happening and how can we fix the problem? The elusiveness of figures on the prevalence of false accusations of sexual assault is bothersome. The crime of 'bearing false witness' is rarely tracked or punished, and the context in which it is usually raised is highly politicized. One common theory is that Army culture encourages soldiers to protect their own; women say they fear being ostracized or labeled a traitor if they come forward. They also worry making an allegation will kill their career.

  Women in today’s world are forced to work under a “pressure-cooker.” A woman’s sexual activity is viewed in a completely different manner than a man’s. A male can sleep with whomever, whenever he wants, with no repercussions. In fact, he is only viewed as more “macho” and receives more street credit for it. On the other hand, a woman is forced to protect her reputation in any way she can. If a woman decides to exercise her sexual freedom, her reputation is automatically damaged. How can we blame women in the military for wanting to hide any evidence their sexual actions when the world is still viewing sexual freedom in such a sexist light?

  West Point’s strict rules and regulations make it easy for females to get in trouble in regards to the opposite sex. Regulations prohibit freshman from dating any upperclassman. If and when fraternization takes place, it is most common for freshman females to date upperclass males, because upperclass males prey on the innocence of freshman females. When they are caught, female freshman commonly decide, in order to avoid trouble, to claim that the upperclass male assaulted them or harassed them. After the case if brought forward the females are often portrayed as inviting the attention from the upperclass male because they are an alluring female.

  One recent case at West Point involved a female student who was found having sex with her cadet boyfriend in a dorm room, a major taboo at West Point. To save herself from being punished and maintain her reputation, she reportedly turned around and accused him of assault. Now some of her peers suspect she lied. "It makes it even harder for every other female to come forward," one female cadet said. "Everyone assumes if she lied, then every other girl has lied." (Record Online, West Point’s Sexual Dysfunction, 2007). Alcohol is also one of the main factors in many sexual assault cases. Females often find themselves making poor decisions after a night of drinking and decide that claiming sexual assault will free them from any punishment or gossip.

  Because of the growing number of cases similar to the common examples above, a large number of females at West Point are scrutinized by their own peers. I have heard comments like, “It was her fault, she shouldn’t have put herself in that situation” or “She was asking for it.” I sense that this can reflect the active military in some ways, as well, but I can only speak for West Point. It has been suggested that it is a leadership issue, but in my opinion, it is a criminal issue that needs to be dealt with on both ends – whether the cases are true or false. There is currently not enough action being taken to deal with the sexist light that females are still viewed in and the way that sexual assault is presently dealt with.
  It has already been three decades since women were admitted to West Point with a promise of equality. Sexual indecency seems to be becoming an endemic, but is rarely spoken about openly or is hidden to protect the name of West Point. One West Point official who has worked with sexual assault victims for more than a decade said the climate is so hostile that, on average, 10 female cadets leave or are forced out of West Point every year after being raped, assaulted or abused. (Record Online, 2007). Can you spot the discrepancy? I spot numerous ones.

  These statements do not reflect the ideas or opinions of the US Army or the US Military Academy at West Point.

  http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070429/NEWS/704290336/-1/NEWS

  submitted by Cadet Lauren Glass on Aug 27 2010

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