Unreported Sexual Assaults in the Military: Hidden Battles

Considering that roughly 80% of sexual assault cases in the military were not reported, a conservative estimate indicates that around half a million female veterans may have been victims while in service (Ziering & Dick, 2012). The Invisible War illustrates the horrible battles that female and male veteran rape victims faced after experiencing retaliation. Widespread victim-blaming can be attributed to the misogynistic culture that persists in the military as well as the U.S. Department of Defense’s (DoD) lack of concrete responses. Unresolved sexual assault cases can affect the desire of women to either enter service through the military academy or advance in their careers through attending academies. The implications of the perceptions of

All of the women interviewed in The Invisible War earnestly wanted to serve their country. Most came from military families and eager to continue this honorable tradition. In their cherished dream career, however, they experienced the worst event of their lives: being raped. As if the trauma of sexual assault was not enough, these victims went through another victimization in a system that denies them their right to justice. Many women saw their cases delayed, shelved, or dismissed (Ziering & Dick, 2012). At the same time, they were either discharged or demoted, which proves what the Human Rights Watch said about veterans who filed formal complaints: “Military personnel who report a sexual assault frequently find that their military career is the biggest casualty” (Thompson, 2016, May 18). If this is what women will experience in the academy, then more of them would let go of their dreams to avoid being

Unsettled sexual assault cases could either dissuade women from pursing a military career or end it themselves. Consequently, those who were released tend to suffer economic problems, especially when they get a “dishonorable discharge” for reporting the sexual assault, a form of “professional retaliation” (Ziering & Dick, 2012). Numerous veteran women who had been raped suffer from psychological and physical consequences for a long time, leading to their inability to hold jobs and soon, substance abuse and homelessness (Ziering & Dick, 2012). Sex segregation seriously affects women