Why does the number of sexual assault continue to increase throughout your organization?
“35% of women globally have experienced sexual or physical violence”. This is a report by the Senthilingam of CNN (2017), and are not anything to be happy about, as far as human rights and values are concerned. Sexual assault increases throughout even within the disciplinary organizations like the military through various forms like sexting, uncomfortable sexual words from another individual, fondling, attempted rape, forcing a victim to perform sexual acts against their will and offering favors for exchange for sex (Gibbsons, 2018). For time now, there has been campaigns to help sort this increasing threat to military’s working environment. For a befitting solution, it is wise to understand the origin of sexual violence and abuse. Here is an examination on the causes of sexual assault, a look into how training reduce sexual assault, and a discussion on how sexual violence in the military.
In 2017, sexual assault cases rose by 10% in the United States military. One major cause of this, as reported by Cohen and Browne (2018) is the laxity in laws, and the strictness with which top officials handle the problem. In this same report, the authors indicate that the rates increase as the victims decrease. The decrease in number of victims shows lack of proper prosecutions and interdictions of offenders. Lack of investigations is mentioned as one of the reasons for. This does not translate to anything better, as the military finds it grim to hold any perpetrators accountable. It is this lack of accountability that leads to complacency. Later, loopholes are created as these cases increase.
The current training does not work to eliminate sexual assault. There is a free environment and most individuals feel to be able to do the anything they wish. In most cases, training should be geared towards leading victims to report these cases, manage to collect as much evidence as possible and fight for their justice. Perpetrators should be warned, be kept in probation, and prosecuted for serious offenses.
To end sexual violence, there needs to be effective punishment to offenders. One of the reasons to ensure this is to use advanced investigative methods, prosecutions and the right punishment to offenders. Effective punishment as suggested by lawmakers is having a military court run by the civilians who are independent from influence within the military. However, I feel this must be in both ways. A victim who declines to mention the cases of assault should be punished as an accomplice to crime. This way, it will be easy to sort the increasing cases of sexual assault.
As a summary, it is evident that cases of sexual harassment in the military increases, though a decline in the number of prosecutions of victims. A loophole is seen to be existing in the military as the commanders do not hold any individual accountable. Such loopholes lead to more victimization. Due to these cases, one way to hold people accountable is having military courts manned by civilians who are independent from influence. Including prosecutions and proper investigations will stiffen the situation to the extent that perpetrators will not be able to commit more of such crimes. If done properly, the cases of sexual assault in the military will decline and render the institution a better place to work in.
References
Cohen, Z. & Browne, R. (2018, April, 30). US military sees spike in sexual assault reports. Retrieved from: https://edition.cnn.com/2018/04/30/politics/dod-sexual-assault-report-2017/index.html
Gibbsons, T. (2018, April, 30).Reports of Sexual Assault in the Military Rise by 10 Percent, Pentagon Finds. Retrieved from: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/30/us/politics/sexual-assault-reports-military-increase.html
Senthilingam, M. (2017, November, 29). Sexual harassment: How it stands around the globe. Retrirved from: https://edition.cnn.com/2017/11/25/health/sexual-harassment-violence-abuse-global-levels/index.html