Sexual assault is a violent crime that is rarely reported by the victim for varies reasons, one being the stigmatization that comes with it. Many victims of sexual assault in our society are seen as asking for it, or as being the one to blame for it occurring. In recent years there has been more talk about military rape, and sexual harassment toward female military personnel. Do to the underreporting of sexual assault, and harassment the exact number of victim is unknown. As Bostock et al. (2007) noted in a research on sexual assault, a survey conducted by the National Women’s Study (NWS) over the phone with approximately 4,008 participants found that 13% of women in the United States have been raped, with about 6 out of 10 being raped
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As Bostock et al. (2007) mentioned in a research paper on sexual assault, the military tends to cover up sexual assaults when it is reported, and even when they know that it is occurring they pretend to be ignorant of the situation in order to keep public appearance positive. Murdoch et al. (1995) found that among veteran women under the age of fifty, 24% reported to having experience with domestic violence in the last year, and 90% reported to being sexually harassed while they were in the military (Bostock et al., 2007 & Murdoch et al., 1995, p. 413). Bostock et al. (2007) mentions that women who have been sexually assaulted at a young age/childhood are more prevalent to being sexually assault, sexually harassed or having psychological problem while in active service in the military. The higher rates of Sexual assault in the military in comparison to the general civilian population seems to stem from high ranking officials not investigating cases that are reported, and instead covering it up to preserve a positive image of the military in the eye of the public, which emboldens offenders of sexual assault to act, and victimize others in the military. In order to accurately pinpoint the reasons for the prevalence of sexual assault on military women, while they are active members, feminist theory will be used. According to feminist theory there is gender inequality, and this inequality leads to discrimination, sexual objectivity, and patriarchy
As Bostock et al. (2007) mentioned in a research paper on sexual assault, the military tends to cover up sexual assaults when it is reported, and even when they know that it is occurring they pretend to be ignorant of the situation in order to keep public appearance positive. Murdoch et al. (1995) found that among veteran women under the age of fifty, 24% reported to having experience with domestic violence in the last year, and 90% reported to being sexually harassed while they were in the military (Bostock et al., 2007 & Murdoch et al., 1995, p. 413). Bostock et al. (2007) mentions that women who have been sexually assaulted at a young age/childhood are more prevalent to being sexually assault, sexually harassed or having psychological problem while in active service in the military. The higher rates of Sexual assault in the military in comparison to the general civilian population seems to stem from high ranking officials not investigating cases that are reported, and instead covering it up to preserve a positive image of the military in the eye of the public, which emboldens offenders of sexual assault to act, and victimize others in the military. In order to accurately pinpoint the reasons for the prevalence of sexual assault on military women, while they are active members, feminist theory will be used. According to feminist theory there is gender inequality, and this inequality leads to discrimination, sexual objectivity, and patriarchy