The United States Army stated they are getting serious about sexual abuse in the ranks. According the 2009 CBS report, "The Hidden Casualties of War," one third of servicewomen and six percent of servicemen say they are victims of sexual abuse. In early 2009, the US army stated they will hire more prosecutors to bring perpetrators to justice.
However, critics claim that the military needs to do much more about another crime; women are being assaulted, beaten, and raped by their military husbands or boyfriends. A CBS News investigation discovered more than 25,000 spouses and domestic partners have been brutally assaulted in the past 10 years with dozens of these resulting in death. This is a problem that is on the increase. Domestic violence in the military is a serious problem.
Military Domestic Abuse Victims Speak
CBS’s Katie Couric spoke to domestic violence victim Jessacia Patton about the abuse she endured when her husband returned from Iraq. Couric asked Jessacia Patton what she thought is the major flaw in how the U.S. military deals with domestic violence. Patton replied, "When a soldier beats his wife, the wife falls through the crack. They make it very impossible to get through the system and get anything done."
Several military families were interviewed by CBS News and they all stated that the system is broken, under-funded and under-staffed. Katie Couric spoke to a former advocate who did not want to be identified in fear of retribution. "I think the Pentagon needs to step in and start a better training program for their commanders," the former advocate said.
U.S. Soldiers Killing Family Members
There is no shortage of headlines of U.S. soldier who have returned from Iraq or Afghanistan and are assaulting and worse, killing family members. Domestic violence in the military, murder and suicide is a rapidly growing problem.
The News Tribune in Washington reported on April 28, 2010 that a Fort Richardson soldier just back from Afghanistan killed his wife, their eight-month-old baby before shooting himself.
WPRI.com News reported a murder-suicide on September 29, 2010 in which a soldier stationed at Fort Hood in Texas killed his wife then himself. Sergeant Michael Timothy Franklin recently served two tours in Iraq. The Army Suicide Prevention Task Force reported that there have been 14 confirmed suicides and six suspected suicides at Fort Hood in 2010.
Domestic Violence Statistics in the Military
The National Coalition Against Domestic Violence complied statistics about domestic violence in the military. The following is a sample of some of the statistics they have complied:
- 84% of spousal abuse (reported) incidents involved physical abuse.
- Domestic violence homicides in the military from 1995-2001 include 32 in the Air Force, 54 in the Navy and 131 in the Army.
- In 2001, more than 18,000 incidents of spousal abuse were reported to the Department of Defense’s Family Advocacy Program.
- Few military personnel are prosecuted or administratively sanctioned on charges stemming from domestic violence.
Military Launches Domestic Violence Awareness Campaign
On October 4, 2010, the Department of Defense announced that they launched a domestic violence awareness campaign for military members.
Donna Miles, on behalf of The American Forces Press Service stated, “The military faces the same challenges as society at large, particularly in light of the high operational tempo and the strain it puts on service members as well as their families. Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates acknowledged these stresses during a lecture last week at Duke University.”
She quotes Gates, “As a result of the multiple deployments and hardships associated with Afghanistan and Iraq, large swaths of the military – especially our ground combat forces and their families – are under extraordinary stress.”
Getting Help
If anyone in the military is in an abusive relationship and needs help, contact the Family Advocacy Program. This can be contacted through the medical treatment facility or installation security. Or call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE or visit NDVH.
Additional Reading:
Military Women Sexually Abused
Sources:
CBS The Hidden Casualties Of War. January 28, 2009.
National Coalition Against Domestic Violence: Domestic Violence in the Military
U.S. Department of Defense: Military Launches Domestic Violence Awareness Campaign, Donna Miles. October 4, 2010.
News Tribune: "Anchorage Police - Soldier killed wife, baby daughter, then turned gun on himself." April 28, 2010.
WPRI.com News: "Middletown soldier kills wife, self." September 29, 2010.
Karen Stephenson - Karen has written for several newspapers and print media in addition to many online publications. She holds a B.A. in English and an ...
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