The document discusses the issue of sexual abuse in the United States military. It notes that approximately four in ten military women experience sexual abuse while enlisted. However, the military has done very little to address this problem and it remains largely underreported. This failure negatively impacts both current service members and veterans. Sexual abuse in the military can cause unique trauma for victims as they are often forced to continue serving alongside their abusers. It is also a leading cause of PTSD in veterans. If not addressed properly, sexual abuse will continue undermining the integrity of the military and deter future enlistment.

1. Natalie Seman
H World Lit/Comp
Lester/Hamilton
16 April 2012
Sexual Abuse in the Military: Shaping Sheet
Introduction/Initial Slides: Flags of Our Fathers, We Were Soldiers Once and Young, Saving
Private Ryan…All are presentations of the glory and honor encapsulated by the United States
Military. Young people from across the nation hear of the nobility of a US Soldier, and those
close to the soldiers themselves hear of the comradery and brotherhood the military brings. For
years, the military has used recruiting tactics like the most famous “We Want You” posters, and
“Be strong, Army Strong” slogan of today’s generation. In 1968, women were granted the right
to enlist and serve in the armed forces. It was with great pride and a sense of accomplishment
that the female population decided to enlist. Now, nearly half a century later, women still feel
that sense of dignity and pride for what they are signing to do. It didn’t take too much time to
uncover, however, that the real military experience for women was not what they originally
intended. The military is portrayed to be a place of a common cause and sense of unity by
nearly every source of media, so why are they hiding the truth about sexual abuse in the armed
forces?
Thesis: Sexual abuse is a growing issue that should be handled seriously and with appropriate
action because it is a detriment to the integrity of the military, is a growing problem that is
under-publicized, and is affecting veterans at an alarming rate.

2. R? 1: Should the effects of sexual abuse of female soldiers be considered a
detriment to the integrity of the U.S military?
TS: The effects of sexual abuse should be considered a detriment to the U.S military.
CD1: Today, four in ten military women are being sexually abused while enlisted.
C: This is a real issue that the media tends to ignore. Sexual abuse trauma is even categorized as
a form of PTSD, though not many women are willing to seek treatment in fear of losing their
ranks. The fact that this is categorized just like any other military affliction says that the United
States military views sexual abuse as another part of what may happen as part of your duties,
and that this is something out of their control.
C: Upwards of 200,000 women are enlisted on active duty today, that’s 15% of our armed
forces. (Gerdes) The prevalence of this issue is kept so hidden that women are blindsided by the
sexual atrocities they have to face when serving their countries. No one would expect to be
sexually abused in a place of so much prestige.
CD2: By comparison, about 20% of all returning veterans from the current U.S war on Iraq will
come home with some form of PTSD. (Lu) “Sexual violence has been identified as one of the
most common predictors of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).” (Dunleavy/Slowik)
C: The fact that sexual violence in the military is categorized in the same way as PTSD shows
that the attitude of military officials toward this issue is one of inevitability. Officials see this
issue as “part of the job” for female soldiers today, and the figures are getting too large to
control.

3. C: Sexual abuse is something the military can control, unlike PTSD, so there is no reason that
significant measures have not yet been taken to reduce this stat.
CD3: In the 1991 Tailhook Association convention, more than 100 officers sexually assaulted
and harrassed dozens of female soldiers but were never convicted. (Gerdes)
C: When officers of the military are the ones committing these sexual crimes, it becomes clear
that sexual abuse is a large detriment to the honorable name the military has worked hard to
maintain. Officers are said to be prestigous and serving their duties to protect the country’s
name, so why are they not the ones stopping this behaviour?
C: Sexual abuse in the military should be handled by our government, and publicized to the
public. Not only is the integrity of the United States military jeopardized by this, but the traits
that define a soldier are as well.
RQ2: What measures are the military officials taking to put an end to sexual
abuse? Why hasn’t this issue been publicized?
TS: The military has done very little to put a stop on sexual abuse, and it seems as though the
issue is being covered up in the media.
CD1: The Senate voted in 1996 to repeal a law banning abortions at military hospitals overseas.
(Dewar)

4. C: People enlist in the military to serve their country, and uphold the integrity of the nation
they defend. The fact that women are raped overseas protecting a country that won’t protect
them in return is a horrifying reality. Impregnated victims of rape are helpless and without any
consolation. If the military is going to continue to do nothing to stop this issue, abortions should
be provided to those who desire them.
C: With women being so violated in what should be their family unit of trust and dependability,
there is no consolation, not even abortion that is being offered to them. The military is
betraying their enlisted women, and there is nothing they can do to stand up for themselves.
CD2: “Since then, more women have been assigned to ships, and the Navy now takes it for
granted that some 10 percent of them will be in a family way whenever they return from long
cruises. Our admirals, however, are unlikely to admit this publicly, or even to acknowledge that
sex takes place at sea.” (Corry)
C: With 10 percent of the women returning from their duty in the military pregnant, it becomes
clear that our nation is doing very little to stop this. It is difficult and frightening enough to be a
woman in the military; Michele Roscher of the Army Reserve was stationed in Iraq as one of
three women among 130 soldiers. (Dribben, 2)
C: With women being far outnumbered and often times outranked, there is little they can do to
defend themselves when their attackers commit to abusing them.
CD3: In February of 2011, 15 women and 2 men, both active duty and veterans, filed a class-
action suit against the Pentagon The suit claimed that the military failed to properly investigate

5. rapes and sexual assaults. (Dribben, 2) By the anniversary of 9/11 that year, the number of
names on the lawsuit went up by twenty.
C: This shows that not only are females outraged by this spectacle, but veteran males are also
being scarred by the maltreatment they are forced to face in the military.
C: Our nation is lucky to have as many volunteers for the military that we do. It is unjust for us
to take advantage of them and force them to compromise their constitutional rights to defend
us.
RQ3: How does this abuse affect veterans and how is it different from rape in
civilian life?
TS: The effects of rape are not just horrifying on the battlefield; these victims are forced to deal
with the pain of sexual abuse even when they become veterans. Military sexual abuse is very
different from civilian rape because the crime is committed in an extremely volatile
environment, generally by the people who are supposed to protect the victim.
CD1: “The military itself is a microcosm of patriarchal society...If the perpetrator is in the female
soldier’s chain-of-command, she might even be dependent on him for basic necessities.”
(Hoppen, 2)
C: This abuse is much like sexual trauma within a family, because a female soldier often times
depends on her commander for support and survival. That is what makes this so different from
typical cases of rape, and this circumstance causes for a specialized treatment mechanism.

6. C: As a result of these military circumstances, the victim must remain trapped in her plattoon
with the perpetrator, creating a sense of helplessness that can create unique trauma.
CD2: Sexual trauma is one of the most common causes of PTSD. (Slowik/Dunleavy)
C: Not only is this issue a problem on the battlefield, the victims of sexual abuse remain victims
when they integrate into regular society. As a result of PTSD, victims find it difficult to find
normalcy again. Even in the workplace, businesses are tentative to hire a veteran who has a
history of PTSD.
C: In doing nothing, the United States military is doing so much to harm the lives of these
women forever. Since the debates in the early world wars about the legitimacy of PTSD as an
ailment or injury, the illness has been looked down upon. These victims are helpless both on
and off the battlefield.
CD3: Military decided to end policy for military abortions. (Slowik/Dunleavy)
C: This burdens veterans with both the cruelties of war and the tragedy of dealing with an
unwanted child that will always remind them of what they had to endure.
C: An additional result of this is a sense of betrayal forced upon the victim because of how safe
she thought she should feel with her platoon.
Conclusion: The United States military has a growing problem in its ranks. If sexual abuse is not
stopped and taken seriously soon, not only will the integrity of the military be destroyed, but
enlistment figures will go down as people hear about the horror of victimized veterans.