Rape Hotline not working...Colonel's 9/24/04 article
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“A female soldier coming off night shift took a shower and was standing at the sink brushing her teeth,” Karpinski says. “A male soldier entered the tent brandishing a long blade knife. He had a scarf ... over his head. He threatened her, and she tried to run. Another female soldier heard her scream and nearly bumped into the would-be attacker as he was running out of the tent. They actually cornered him, but CID (military cops) released him the next day because the intended victim was not certain she could identify him.”

So many times I have had women veterans sit in my office with terrible PTSD symptoms. They were pleading for help. We can get them treatment; but service connected compensation is much more difficult. The VA requires many "verifiable stressors" in order to service connect PTSD and the scar is not always visible to those making the determination.

Twenty years after the incident when the PTSD is raging within, there will be no verifiable record of proof that the "stressor" existed.

Unfortunately the Colonel's article will be read by some, ignored by most, forgotten by everyone except those who have suffered from the extremely traumatic event.

Read the article please give your opinion!
http://www.military.com/Resources/ResourceFileView?file=Hackworth_092404.htm

I will cast no stones!

Dave Barker

I am sorry that the women in the services are faced with criminal assaults. I think the new rules against fraternization with prostitutes which may result in a court martial shall make the potential for attempted assaults and rape even more severe. The women in the services should buddy up with someone always on guard in the critical areas. Isolated individuals are more vulnerable. If possible, there should be armed guards in pairs constantly on patrol in the needed areas. High profile security patrols discourage intrusions. Armed pairs of guards makes it harder for one guard to be attacked and when taken down provide a weapon to an otherwise unarmed would be attacker. These guards should be allowed the use of any force necessary. I believe that gunshot wounds to the lower body of would be attackers would be a situation that the command could not hide or ignore. If guards could not armed with lethal force, then perhaps those who care can purchase and send them stun weapons. It is easier to identify an attacker if that person is still on the scene of a crime or an attempted crime as a casualty. Self defense skills in unarmed defense against an attack would also be an asset.

Cherry

One more thing, it is not always men raping women. I have had several cases of males being raped by males and even females raped by females.
The trauma of a homosexual rape is devastating.

I will cast no stones!

Dave Barker

I agree the trauma of rape, either hetero or homosexual can be devastating..particularly when you actually know the individual. My exhusband was physically abusive, and the final straw and what finally made me leave him was when he raped me. I went into a combat zone afterwards that was a lot safer than the home I had been living in.

Here in America we are descended in blood and in spirit from revolutionists and rebels - men and women who dare to dissent from accepted doctrine. As their heirs, may we never confuse honest dissent with disloyal subversion. -Eisenhower

I read the Col's article and it angered me...
even in the military, there seems to be no understanding or help!

I have so many friends who have gone thru this horrible experience, and found there was no where for them to go...

If by offering this site, we can be of any help at all, I wholeheartedly support it.

We, who have dealt with, lived with, and learned how to go on with our lives, dealing with PTSD, can help I believe!

So count me in!

RV Paulbear

When I first realised I had Delayed PTSD from my service during Vietnam, I started seeking other females from the Women's Army Corps online who served when I did.

I was the ONLY one who had NOT been raped during their service time and to make those stats even worse, I had been sexually assaulted after being shown pics of dead "gooks" on my very first date after boot camp.

I did escape my attacker and kept a cadre of Green Berets with me for the rest of my time at Fort Sam Houston, Texas. I learned to never go anywhere without my bodyguards. I kid you not.

The incidence of rape in the military is appalling high. I believe it to be much much higher than in the civilian theater. Seriously.

I truly pray this topic stays on our forum.

Well done, Dave.

By the way, the very first question VA docs ask a female vet now, is.....were you sexually assaulted during your service time.

Sad but true.

MOM

I believe love given is the secret of life...MOM

... the unofficial evidence, I have observed over a 25 year period, makes me agree with your thesis. It is amazing of the incidents that go unreported. Usually due to fear of backlash. Which does happen, as I have been strongly informed.
BTW on PTSD case I always request Service Records and review them. Even the sneakiest of louses will leave tracks of the dastardly deeds. The Top Sergeant or the Captain are quick to remove the victim from their unit and leave clues!

I will cast no stones!

Dave Barker

While I'd like to say it is comforting to know I am not alone- it is apalling and heartbreaking to know that rape in the service is such a prevalent problem.

I remember watching the General's Daughter with some friends after it came out. They remarked that it was a good movie, but that stuff like that didn't really happen in the military, or at least, not all that often. I remember how alone I felt.

While the feeling of being the only one has been isolating and miserable- I think I prefer it to the alternative of so many others suffering as I do.

POW/MIA: WHEN ONE AMERICAN IS NOT WORTH THE EFFORT TO BE FOUND, WE AS A COUNTRY HAVE LOST.

i have a few things to say here. everyone is so right in everything that has been said in this forum regarding this issue. just know that not "all" people in command positions hide it. i myself would not hide the victim or sweep it under the rug. WHATEVER the consequences of my actions may be! rape is a terrible thing in civilian life. to have it take place in our military, as far as i am concerned, is even more devistating. we are supposed to be family. we are supposed to watch each others' six. a person who is raped in the military will have a very hard time learning to trust others ever again, if they are even ever able to do so!

Never give up! Never give in! Never let go!

quote:

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Originally posted by Ameeris_J:
i have a few things to say here. everyone is so right in everything that has been said in this forum regarding this issue. just know that not "all" people in command positions hide it. i myself would not hide the victim or sweep it under the rug. WHATEVER the consequences of my actions may be! rape is a terrible thing in civilian life. to have it take place in our military, as far as i am concerned, is even more devistating. we are supposed to be family. we are supposed to watch each others' six. a person who is raped in the military will have a very hard time learning to trust others ever again, if they are even ever able to do so!

_Never give up! Never give in! Never let go!_

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WHOA! "I REALLY SCREWED THE POOCH" IN MY INTEPRETATION OF WHAT I READ FROM DAVE'S POST ABOVE!!!

"The Top Sergeant or the Captain are quick to remove the victim from their unit and leave clues!"

I thought he meant that people in command positions, such as capt or top sgt would hide what happened to keep it out of the media or such, not that "THEY" were the perpetrators of the rape!!

remind me to pay closer attention to what i am reading please! see what lack of sleep does to people?

i replied that i would not hide it or sweep it under the rug and by this i meant that IF A RAPE OCCURRED UNDE MY COMMAND, YOU CAN BET YOUR AZZ THE PERSON RESPONSIBLE WOULD "NOT" GO UNPUNISHED FOR HIS OR HER CRIME, NO MATTER WHAT WOULD COME DOWN ON ME FOR REPORTING IT TO THE HIGHER UPS!! i would not back down and i would not let it just get hushed up! no way in hell!

i have heard of this happening too. NCO's or CO's not wanting to "make waves", hushing things up, for fear of reprisal from the brass for reporting such incidences. more worried about their "careers" than the wellbeing of their troops. not me! i don't give a rat's azz what the consequences would be. i would report it and follow through with it as high up as i need to go with it in order for justice to be had!

i am so glad i come back and reread stuff i wrote earlier!!

Never give up! Never give in! Never let go!

i need to fix another "error". in my post above, i meant to say NCO's ( non-commissioned)or Commisioned Officers, not just COs meaning commanding officers. ok! i think i need to take a break from posting. heheheehehe

Never give up! Never give in! Never let go!

My thoughts on reducing incidents of sexual assault in our Military:
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1) We need to better educate both our male and female soldiers in Initial Entry Training. I remember one class in AIT about rape. They taught us not to fight our attackers. Thank the Lord one of our MALE Drill Sergeants stood up and told the instructer SHE was a moron. If a rapist is going to kill you, being complacent will not stop him. As the DS said, "if anything, there'll be blood beneath your fingernails. We have every soldier's DNA on file."
What the heck were they thinking, teaching us to lay quietly while being brutalized? And furthermore, why weren't the males part of this class? They need to hear how to protect themselves as well. If anything, the potential rapists needed to hear how easy they could be caught.
2) The "Cult of the Macho" in our Military needs to go. We need a culture of Discipline, Respect, and Honor. We need to preach more FAMILY values. We have the 7 core values (in the Army, anyway). We need to start FORCING our soldiers to live by them.
3) Soldiers' personal behaviors should be subject to scrutiny by their peers. NO ONE should be afraid of speaking out when they see their buddies acting inappropriately. We need to reward those who DO THE RIGHT THING!
4) Quit encouraging silence! While it is definately important (crucial, to the point of a life or death matter, I realize) to protect the victims of attack- Attackers need to be exposed. Give them their due process. If they are found responsible, do not send them away and sweep the matter under the rug- make it known who the perpetrator is, and what he/she did! Send a STRONG, UNIFIED message that immorality, perversion, and violence in the ranks WILL NOT BE TOLERATED!!!!
5) Train our leaders, our NCO's, WO's, and CO's better!!!! We have some of the best trained leaders in the world. Except when it comes to how to deal with these sorts of problems. Train them thoroughly when it comes to EO issues. Teach them how to respond to these attacks. Teach them what to do. I think a lot of these things are mishandled, not because the leadership didn't care, or was trying to cover it up- but because they just weren't clear on what to do. Make it easier for them to file paperwork, reports. Make sure they project a command climate of ZERO TOLERANCE for these sorts of things- while ensuring soldiers do not need to fear coming forward with the truth. Reward leaders and subordinates for facilitating THE RIGHT THING!



This is just my humble opinion. I do not think these things are happening because the Military is corrupt. I think the Military is HUMAN. Humans make mistakes. Humans sometimes do VERY BAD THINGS! Rape is about POWER- not sex. If we do away with the Macho Culture in the military, I feel we may begin taking steps in the right direction.

POW/MIA: WHEN ONE AMERICAN IS NOT WORTH THE EFFORT TO BE FOUND, WE AS A COUNTRY HAVE LOST.

Perfect response! Thank you for this vital contribution.

I will cast no stones!

Dave Barker

what dave said is absolutely correct. you have provided a vital contribution on this subject and i am sure everyone appreciates you for it. i sure do! the only way we will get any of your suggestions implemented is through publicity! keep it up.



Never give up! Never give in! Never let go!

National Center for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder, Department of Veterans Affairs

Military Sexual Trauma: Issues in Caring for Veterans
Amy Street, Ph.D. and Jane Stafford, Ph.D.

What is Military Sexual Trauma? Military sexual trauma refers to both sexual harassment and sexual assault that occurs in military settings. Both men and women can experience military sexual trauma and the perpetrator can be of the same or of the opposite gender. A general definition of sexual harassment is unwelcome verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature that occurs in the workplace or an academic or training setting. Sexual harassment includes gender harassment (e.g., put you down because of your gender), unwanted sexual attention (e.g., made offensive remarks about your sexual activities or your body) and sexual coercion (e.g., implied special treatment if you were sexually cooperative). Sexual assault is any sort of sexual activity between at least two people in which one of the people is involved against his or her will. Physical force may or may not be used. The sexual activity involved can include many different experiences including unwanted touching, grabbing, oral sex, anal sex, sexual penetration with an object, and/or sexual intercourse.

People tend to think that only women experience sexual trauma, however, this is not the case. In 1995 the Department of Defense conducted a large study of sexual victimization among active duty populations and found rates of sexual harassment to be 78% among women and 38% among men over a one-year period. Rates of attempted or completed sexual assault were 6% for women and 1% for men. Rates of military sexual trauma among veteran users of VA healthcare appear to be even higher than in general military populations. In one study, 23% of female users of VA healthcare reported experiencing at least one sexual assault while in the military.

Does Military Sexual Trauma Occur during Wartime?
Sexual trauma in the military does not occur only during training or peacetime and in fact, the stress of war may be associated with increases in rates of sexual harassment and assault.Research with Persian Gulf War military personnel conducted by Jessica Wolfe and her colleagues found that rates of sexual assault (7%), physical sexual harassment (33%) and verbal sexual harassment (66%) were higher than those typically found in peacetime military samples.

Are There Unique Aspects of Sexual Trauma Associated with Military Service?
While there is almost no empirical data comparing experiences of military sexual trauma with experiences of sexual harassment and assault that occur outside of military service, there is some anecdotal evidence that these experiences are unique and may be associated with qualitatively or quantitatively different psychological outcomes.

Sexual trauma that is associated with military service most often occurs in a setting where the victim lives and works.In most cases, this means that victims must continue to live and work closely with their perpetrators, often leading to an increased sense of feeling helpless, powerless, and at risk for additional victimization. In addition, sexual victimization that occurs in this setting often means that victims are relying on their perpetrators (or associates of the perpetrator) to provide for basic needs including medical and psychological care. Similarly, because military sexual trauma occurs within the workplace, this form of victimization disrupts the career goals of many of its victims. Perpetrators are frequently peers or supervisors responsible for making decisions about work-related evaluations and promotions. In addition, victims are often forced to choose between continuing military careers during which they are forced to have frequent contact with their perpetrators or sacrificing their career goals in order to protect themselves from future victimization.

Most military groups are characterized by high unit cohesion, particularly during combat. While this level of solidarity typically reflects a positive aspect of military service, the dynamics of cohesion may play a role in the negative psychological effects associated with sexual harassment and assault that occurs. Because organizational cohesion is so highly valued within the military environment, divulging any negative information about a fellow soldier is considered taboo. Accordingly, many victims are reluctant to report sexual trauma and many victims say that there were no available methods for reporting their experiences to those in authority. Many indicate that if they did report the harassment they were not believed or encouraged to keep silent about the experience. They may have had their reports ignored, or even worse, have been themselves blamed for the experience. Having this type of invalidating experience following a sexual trauma is likely to have a significant negative impact on the victim’s post-trauma adjustment.

What Type of Psychological Responses are Associated with Military Sexual Trauma Victimization?

Given the range of sexual victimization experiences that veterans report (ranging from inappropriate sexual jokes or flirtation, to pressure for sexual favors, to completed forcible rape) there are a wide range of emotional reactions reported by veterans in response to these events. Even in the aftermath of severe forms of victimization, there is no one way that victims will respond. Instead, the intensity, duration, and trajectory of psychological responses will all vary based on factors like the veterans’ previous trauma history, their appraisal of the traumatic event, and the quality of their support systems following the trauma. In addition, the victim’s gender may play a role in the intensity of the post-trauma reactions. While the types of psychological reactions experienced by men and women are often similar, the experience of sexual victimization may be even more stigmatizing for men than it is for women because these victimization experiences fall so far outside of the proscribed male gender role. Accordingly, men may experience more severe symptomatology than women, may be more likely to feel shame about their victimization, and may be less likely to seek professional help.

Among both men and women in the active duty military, sexual harassment is associated with poorer psychological well-being, more physical problems and lower satisfaction with health and work. Female veterans who use VA healthcare and report a history of sexual trauma while in the military also report a range of negative outcomes, including poorer psychological and physical health, more readjustment problems following discharge (i.e., difficulties finding work, alcohol and drug problems), and a greater incidence of not working due to mental health problems. Studies of sexual assault among civilian populations identify posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) as a frequent outcome. Sexual assault victimization is associated with high lifetime rates of PTSD in both men (65%) and women (45.9%). Interestingly, these rates are higher than the rate reported by men following combat exposure (38.8%). Major depressive disorder (MDD) is another common reaction following sexual assault, with research suggesting that almost a third of sexual assault victims have at least one period of MDD during their lives. Victims of sexual assault may also report increased substance use, perhaps as a means of managing other psychological symptoms. One large-scale study found that compared to non-victims, rape survivors were 3.4 times more likely to use marijuana, 6 times more likely to use cocaine, and 10 times more likely to use other major drugs. In addition to these psychological conditions, victims of sexual trauma may continue to struggle with a range of other symptoms that interfere with their quality of life. Common emotional reactions include anger and shame, guilt or self-blame. Victims of sexual trauma may report problems in their interpersonal relationships, including difficulties with trust, difficulties engaging in social activities or sexual dysfunction. Male victims of sexual trauma may also express concern about their sexuality or their masculinity.

How Has the VA Responded to the Problem of Military Sexual Trauma?
Given the alarming prevalence rates of sexual harassment and sexual assault among military veterans, it has been necessary for the VA to respond actively to the healthcare needs of veterans impacted by these experiences. In July 1992, a series of hearings on women veterans’ issues by the Senate Veterans Affairs Committee first brought the problem of military sexual trauma to policy makers’ attention. Congress responded to these hearings by passing Public Law 102-585, which was signed into law in November of 1992. Among other things, Public Law 102-805 authorized health care and counseling to women veterans to overcome psychological trauma resulting from experiences of sexual assault or sexual harassment during their military service. Later laws expanded this benefit to male veterans as well as female veterans, repealed limitations on the required duration of service, and extended the provision of these benefits until the year 2005. Following the passage of these public laws, a series of VA directives mandated universal screening of all veterans for a history of military sexual trauma and mandated that each facility identify a Military Sexual Trauma Coordinator to oversee the screening and treatment referral process.

Are There Screening, Assessment or Treatment Issues That Are Unique to Sexual Assault and Harassment?

Screening. It is important to screen all veterans for a history of sexual harassment and assault. Not only is universal screening mandated by VA, it also represents good clinical practice given the high prevalence rates of military sexual trauma among male and female veterans and the reluctance of many sexual trauma survivors to volunteer information about their trauma histories. Screening for all forms of trauma exposure should be approached with compassion and sensitivity, but screening for a history of sexual trauma requires particular care because of the stigma associated with this type of victimization. For accurate screening, good rapport with the veteran is essential, as is close attention to issues of confidentiality (e.g., not screening in the presence of other providers or family members). Regardless of the care taken by the interviewer, the victims’ shame and self-blame may prevent or delay disclosure, particularly for male victims or for victims who have experienced punishment or disbelief following previous disclosures.

When screening for a history of sexual trauma it is important to avoid words like “rape” and “sexual harassment.” Asking the question, “While you were in the military, were you ever raped?” assumes that the victimized person knows how rape is defined and perceives what happened to them as a rape. Additionally, these words are “loaded terms” for many people and a victim may respond negatively in order to avoid the social stigma that goes along with being a rape victim. A method of screening that is likely to yield fairly accurate results without being perceived by the veteran as too intrusive involves two general questions that use descriptive, non-judgmental wording (i.e., While you were in the military did you ever experience any unwanted sexual attention, like verbal remarks, touching, or pressure for sexual favors?; Did anyone ever use force or the threat of force to have sex with you against your will?).

Assessment. At this time, there are no published measures specifically designed to assess sexual trauma that occurs as part of military service. While most checklist measures that assess for trauma exposure include at least one question about sexual assault, generally these measures do not assess sexual harassment. However, there are a number of existing self-report measures and structured interviews specifically designed to assess sexual harassment and/or sexual assault. The Sexual Experience Questionnaire by Louise Fitzgerald is the most widely used measure of sexual harassment. One of the most widely used measures of sexual assault, the Sexual Experiences Survey by Mary Koss and her colleagues, is a self-report measure that assesses a variety of unwanted sexual experiences including those associated with substance use. An example of an interview developed for the purpose of assessing sexual assault is The National Women’s Study interview developed by Heidi Resnick and her colleagues. It includes a series of behaviorally specific questions that ask about a variety of unwanted sexual experiences.

Treatment While the consequences of sexual harassment and assault can be severe and complex, there are treatments available that can significantly reduce psychological symptoms and improve a victim’s quality of life. There is very little empirically-based information on the treatment of sexual harassment or on the treatment of any sexual trauma associated with military service. However, there is a wealth of information available on the treatment of sexual assault in civilian populations that can be used to inform treatment of veteran populations.

Interventions for sexual trauma often involve addressing immediate health and safety concerns (particularly in the case of an acute trauma), normalizing post-trauma reactions by providing education about trauma and psychological reactions to traumatic events, providing the victim with validation, supporting existing adaptive coping strategies and facilitating the development of new coping skills, like muscle relaxation or deep breathing. Treatment interventions may also include exploring affective and cognitive reactions including fear, self-blame, anger and disillusionment, some form of exposure therapy and/or some form of cognitive restructuring. Clinicians looking for more in depth information on the treatment of sexual trauma are referred to Foa and Rothbaum( 1998) and Resick and Schnicke (2002).

References


Foa, E. B., & Rothbaum, B. O. (1998). Treating the trauma of rape: Cognitive-behavioral therapy for PTSD. New York: Guilford.

Resick, P. S., & Schnicke, M. K. (2002). Cognitive processing therapy for rape victims: A treatment manual . Newbury Park, CA: Sage.

http://www.ncptsd.org//war/military_sexual_trauma.html

as usual buddy, always vigilant! great amount of info for the people out there who need it! keep it coming! i have already passed some of this on to some of those in need of it.



Never give up! Never give in! Never let go!

Hee hee. That was Cherry that posted that. Silly.

POW/MIA: WHEN ONE AMERICAN IS NOT WORTH THE EFFORT TO BE FOUND, WE AS A COUNTRY HAVE LOST.

I got this in email..hope it is okay to post it here:

SUPPORTING OUR SOLDIERS





Recently I met a boy, a marine, who returned from Iraq. He spent his leave constantly drinking. He went back on duty, doing only what he had to, and drinking his nights away. His “I don’t give a damn” attitude caused an event to happen that has put him in the brig for five years. Five years without the real help he needs for the traumas he experienced. I met another boy who was raped in the Navy and later beat his rapist. He ended in the brig and received a dishonorable discharge. Again, no help for his trauma. I also met a young female soldier who was in Iraq. She saw way too much and then was wounded. She has severe post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD.) Will she get the help she needs to help her experience the life she fought for? There is also the returning vet who was a good family man, respected in his community, holding down a good job. After he came home, his marriage disintegrated, he lost his job, and was arrested 6 times for alcohol related offenses. They found him hung from a bridge. What are we doing to our children? What are we doing for our heroes? I understand them, because I am one of them

As I drive through my community I see the flags and bumper stickers that say “Support our Troops” and “Pray for our Troops”. This is good, but it seems to only have meaning while the troops are a world away from us -- not when they return home. Soldiers are facing a very real fear that they will come home a different person then the one who left. If you have been in combat, if you have been raped by a comrade in arms, you would know why. I have seen this side of life, and I know it is hard for anyone to understand unless they have experienced it for themselves. When our heroes return from Afghanistan and Iraq, after putting their lives on the line for our country, we owe them whatever we can do. Without the heroes of war, we would not be free, and all who go to war is a hero.

The bureaucracy prevents so many from getting help. This causes them to live isolated in the wilderness areas of our country, afraid of the very people who were their friends and family. Forty-percent of the homeless in our country are veterans. Suicide is an epidemic among veterans of all wars. What can you do? I can advise you from my own experience how best to bring about change. Sure, you can write your senators and congressmen, to request the Veterans Administration be more supportive for our soldiers.

But more importantly, you can learn more about the problem and get involved. The next PTSD victim may be a friend or member of your family.

I have written 150 churches in my home state of Iowa requesting an opportunity to address their congregation. Even though we consider ourselves to be a nation under God, not one of the churches I have contacted have invited me to speak. Somehow, those at war lose the grace of their God. Some have even been rejected from their churches.

I am the chaplain for a non-profit organization called PTSD Alliance (www.ptsd-alliance.org) which provides peer counseling to help those suffering with PTSD. Corporations, celebrities, politicians, and the general public have not come forward to support the meager needs of this organization. Often, it is easier for a PTSD survivor to talk to someone who has been there…who has walked the walk. This has been my role for several years after facing and dealing with PTSD myself. I am assisted by dozens of volunteers – other veterans who are PTSD victims - but there is so much support needed for those who are unaware that our support exists. There is a brick wall between the PTSD-Alliance and the public, the churches, the corporations, and the politicians.



Page 2



PTSD is a disease that few in the public sector know anything about. Even fewer of us have any desire to learn more about what we have many times referred to as battle Fatigue’ or Shell Shock Syndrome.’ I have written two books about PTSD and its effects. It is not pretty, but it is reality.

We as Americans have an obligation to those who protect our freedom. Too many of us take those freedoms for granted. I plead with all Americans to support the needs of these new veterans; these new heroes. Give of you time, give of your money, write letters – do something to make sure we do not have another lost generation. And in every way possible, learn about this debilitating disease and help our returning heroes cope with the world they find after war. Thank you.



Gregory A. Helle, Chaplain

PTSD Alliance

Ankeny, IA

www.ptsd-alliance.org

Here in America we are descended in blood and in spirit from revolutionists and rebels - men and women who dare to dissent from accepted doctrine. As their heirs, may we never confuse honest dissent with disloyal subversion. -Eisenhower

ooops! my bad.
uskid; thanks for the heads up.
sorry cherry. you guys both post so much good information. i just missed the name.



Never give up! Never give in! Never let go!

excellent!



Never give up! Never give in! Never let go!