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View Full Version : Sexual assault reports in US military up 24 percent: Pentagon



LiberalNation
03-21-2007, 08:29 PM
Not good. This might just be people more willing to report it than a real increase in actual assualts which makes it sound better.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/usmilitarysexcrime;_ylt=AnMZlzdzNGYzPCuq4iBVTVkDW7 oF

WASHINGTON (AFP) - Reports of sexual assaults involving members of the US military increased by 24 percent in 2006 over the previous year, the Pentagon reported Wednesday.

In an annual report to Congress, the Pentagon said the increase may have been due to a change in the military's policy, allowing victims to report alleged assaults confidentially.

"There were 2,947 total reports of alleged sexual assault cases involving members of the armed forces," the report said.

"Reports increased by 24 percent from 2005, which may reflect victims' increased confidence in the reporting structure," it said.

But the report said the extent to which the new policy encouraged more service members to report sexual assaults was not clear since 2006 was the first full year it was in effect.

In total, 756 reports of sexual assaults were made confidentially in 2006 compared to 435 the previous year.

Criminal investigations were completed on 2,277 sexual assault reports and commanders took action in 780 cases. There were 292 court martials, most of them from cases reported in 2005, the report said.

"Studies show that sexual assault is the most underreported violent crime in society," said Cynthia Smith, a Pentagon spokeswoman.

"So the department placed special emphasis on removing barriers to reporting and creating a climate of confidence that the armed forces will address all aspects of sexual assault," she said.

"We expected those efforts, as well as increased training and improved victim services, would prompt many more victims to come forward, and we expected the numbers to increase this year."

CSM
03-21-2007, 09:36 PM
Hard to say. There could be many reasons for the statistic; the Army in particular could have higher reporting rates because of the number of troops deployed.

mundame
03-22-2007, 12:26 PM
"There were 2,947 total reports of alleged sexual assault cases involving members of the armed forces," the report said.

Whether reporting is better or not, that is 2,947 sexual assaults too many.

I am hoping a big public issue after the war (at least) will be that our troops are wildly out of control. The atrocities --- Abu Ghraib, the many others such as Haditha, all the really sad misbehaviors detailed in the book Fiasco such as troops going to the prisoner pens and beating them up just for fun, for recreation. Troops shooting poor people's cows, their dogs, kicking in the doors, terrifying people needlessly.

Our troops are direly out of control and the rapes show that also. I think it's because so many criminals are being let in because sensible people won't sign up --- the "morals waivers." That's awful: don't let in those Stephen Green types who organize whole patrols to rape and kill little girls!!!!

If we've got garbage, we should keep it here, not put it in the U.S. Army and send it to foreign lands. My fear is that we are acquiring the reputation the German huns had in WWI and WWII. And you KNOW what happened to them: the whole world combined and ganged up to defeat them like rabid dogs.

I suggest the military sorely needs to get much better control of its troops.

CSM
03-22-2007, 02:36 PM
"There were 2,947 total reports of alleged sexual assault cases involving members of the armed forces," the report said.

Whether reporting is better or not, that is 2,947 sexual assaults too many.

I am hoping a big public issue after the war (at least) will be that our troops are wildly out of control. The atrocities --- Abu Ghraib, the many others such as Haditha, all the really sad misbehaviors detailed in the book Fiasco such as troops going to the prisoner pens and beating them up just for fun, for recreation. Troops shooting poor people's cows, their dogs, kicking in the doors, terrifying people needlessly.

Our troops are direly out of control and the rapes show that also. I think it's because so many criminals are being let in because sensible people won't sign up --- the "morals waivers." That's awful: don't let in those Stephen Green types who organize whole patrols to rape and kill little girls!!!!

If we've got garbage, we should keep it here, not put it in the U.S. Army and send it to foreign lands. My fear is that we are acquiring the reputation the German huns had in WWI and WWII. And you KNOW what happened to them: the whole world combined and ganged up to defeat them like rabid dogs.

I suggest the military sorely needs to get much better control of its troops.

You haven't got a clue as to how the military operates....that is apparent. Your post is a lot of rhetoric and paints with such broad generalizations that it is meaningless.

LiberalNation
03-22-2007, 02:37 PM
Well they are 20 yo guys with guns so you would expect some stuff but I think you're over dramatising it. Are troops are by in large a pretty disiplined force.

CSM
03-22-2007, 02:40 PM
Well they are 20 yo guys with guns so you would expect some stuff but I think you're over dramatising it. Are troops are by in large a pretty disiplined force.

Far more disciplined than any other force in the world. BAR NONE! There are a very very few that commit crimes and those are prosecuted and if found guilty, punished.

LiberalNation
03-22-2007, 02:41 PM
I don't know about that, the Israelis are pretty good so are the british.

5stringJeff
03-22-2007, 02:44 PM
Are troops are by in large a pretty disiplined force.

Yes. And, given that there 1,426,713 active duty troops (according to Wikipedia), that means 99.79% of troops aren't sexually assaulting others. The .21% that are ought to be dealt with swiftly and firmly.

avatar4321
03-22-2007, 02:47 PM
Too many, but atleast we are doing better than UN Peacekeepers in that regard.

LiberalNation
03-22-2007, 02:49 PM
lol will always do better than the crappy UN peace keepers. Yes I agree with you Jeff, the small number who do these things should be taken care and most likely will.