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Women in the military topic
Women in the military topic
Women in the military topic
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Sixty-five years after President Truman signs the Women’s Armed Services Integration Act more than 200,000 women are serving in the military. These women are engaged in real combat and experience the physical, mental, and emotional exhaustion like every soldier out there. But what’s more is that in the first three quarters of the fiscal year of 2013 3,553 sexual assault complaints were reported to the Defense Department. Of these, only one hundred and seventy-five of the alleged attackers were criminally charged. All of these numbers have been complied and given meaning through Kirby Dicks’ film The Invisible War. As a director Dick has been nominated for both the Academy and Emmy Awards for best documentary director. Like most of his films, The Invisible War does not fail to capture the real untold stories of those who face conflict. Released June 22, 2012 the film reached thousands and even stirred up the creation of NotInvisible.org, a website dedicated to changing the laws through a petition to congress. Nevertheless this film depicts the real war women who serve face every day and the justice they never see.
At first the film triumphs in everything that the military offers people worldwide. In a short turn of events the film uses disturbing personal experiences to exemplify and expose sexual assault in the military. The film follows Kori Cioca, Jessica Hinves, Ariana Klay, Trina McDonald, Elle Helmer, Hannah Sewell, Myla Haider, and Michael Matthews who all were victims of sexual assault while on active duty. As their stories unfold what is alarmingly present and similar is the militaries lack of acknowledgment and search for justice for these victims. For the most part the film focused on Kori Cioca whose story was, in my o...
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... can give back what the attackers took from these victims, but what is possible is to give them justice. Our culture needs to separate from the usual ideals and take a stance on this issue. Instead of looking the other way there needs to be more media attention regarding this case. Rape culture needs to be put to a stop and maybe that first step is acknowledging this film and others that regard the rights of women. As we have learned in class during discussions is that rape victims are afraid to speak out for multiple reasons. Just imagine the number of victims in the military that have not spoken out because the person they should tell is either their attacker or the friend of their attacker. As a society we have an obligation to the people who sacrifice their lives to fight for the rest of us. We should be the ones giving them a voice and making them more visible.
In 1996, Captain Derrick Robinson, Sergeant Delmar Simpson, and Sergeant Nathanael Beech were arraigned for their suspected involvement in one of the biggest sex scandals the United States Military had seen. According to CNN, between these three men, charges of rape and adultery were pending in a huge case of sexual misconduct against female soldiers at Aberdeen Proving Ground in Maryland (CNN, 2996). Following this incident, the United States Military took it upon themselves to open a telephone hotline to encourage the reporting of similar harsh crimes. Furthermore, the spike in reporting influenced extensive research to examine the prevalence of rape against women soldiers in the U.S. Military (Titunik, 2000). This paper will explore the dynamics of rape against women soldiers in the military and the research done on its prevalence.
Within Megan H. Mackenzie’s essay, “Let Women Fight” she points out many facts about women serving in the U.S. military. She emphasizes the three central arguments that people have brought up about women fighting in the military. The arguments she states are that women cannot meet the physical requirements necessary to fight, they simply don’t belong in combat, and that their inclusion in fighting units would disrupt those units’ cohesion and battle readiness. The 1948 Women’s Armed Services Integration Act built a permanent corps of women in all the military departments, which was a big step forward at that time. Although there were many restrictions that were put on women, an increase of women in the U.S. armed forces happened during
In this chapter, O’Brien contrasts the lost innocence of a young Vietnamese girl who dances in grief for her slaughtered family with that of scarred, traumatized soldiers, using unique rhetorical devices
The common story from victims who report being raped, according to a Military Rape Crisis Center worker, is that they were “met with disbelief and skepticism, blamed for the crime, and disposed of one way or another,” (Kitfield). Until the military stops re-victimizing the victims it will never be able to completely eradicate rape from the ranks.
Terrence Malick’s The Thin Red Line (1998) is a film that examines the Guadalcanal Battle of World War II, looking past the physical results of the violence, in order to uncover the deeper truths and ramifications of war. The film conveys themes and ideologies that are somewhat uncommon to war films, especially WW II films. In this dark, surreal, journey, Malick takes us inside the minds of soldiers experiencing this battle to capture a remote pacific island from the Japanese. We do not hear or see gruff, hardened soldiers, anxious to die for their country. In fact, there are no heroes in The Thin Red Line. There are only regular men, scared of fighting and scared of dying, who have been thrown into a situation that will forever change their lives. The fighting is not suspenseful or glorious just brutal. Using an ideological approach to the study of film, this paper will examine The Thin Red Line’s messages about the truths of war, and how it challenges our society’s stereotypical view of war as a valiant undertaking where brave men fighting for good battle the evil of the enemy. Consequently, the ideologies that are uncovered will then be used to look at The Thin Red Line as a war film, and how it fits and does not fit into the genre.
Ode, Kim. "Sexual Trauma: Women Vets' Secret War." ProQuest, 18 Dec. 2010. Web. 20 Mar. 2012.
The Hurt Locker is a war film that is set in Iraq during the Iraq War and fits in the adventure and action genre. The plot is about a three man bomb defusal team consisting of James, Sanborn, and Elridge finding themselves is extreme, life-threatening situations where they must defuse explosives over the violent conflicts. The director, Kathryn Bigelow, has done a good job with the mise-en-scene, making the setting overall extremely believable, giving a sense of realism in the film. The film’s mise-en-scene creates a believable Iraq War settings with the use costumes, weaponry, and all the grime and dirt present in places which sells the idea. Sounds and symbolism is used to show heavy tension amongst the soldiers .The film also contrasts James’s time in Iraq and his life back in America using the Supermarket scene. The idea portrayed in this film is the addiction to war which can be seen in James.
No one ever imagines, that the women who risk their lives daily are actually facing their own battles here within our own home front? For those that have been unfortunate and are survivors of such a heinous crime. They will go throughout their lives having their own battles to fight against. Studies have shown that those who go through MST, will deal with some form of psychological problems later on in life. One of the biggest, being Post-traumatic stress, also known as PTSD (pg. 7). A research states that those who have been exposed to MST, have a higher PTSD rate than those who
...nd others. Be that voice that many don’t have and are afraid to come out. Help those who have suffered tremendous pain and suffering. There is so much to life that no one should feel violated and ashamed for what has happened to them. Everyone deserves a right to live in safety and enjoy life without being in fear all the time. Report those who have committed rape and seek help immediately. It is everyone’s responsibility to look out for each other. There are so many support groups and online support from people who have been raped and have suffered and overcome this tragic happening. Many will never forget what it was like to suffer and be raped, there is always hope for recovery and living a life of happiness. Report those rapists and put them in jail for their terrible actions. No one deserves to be violated by anyone. Everyone deserves to be respected and loved.
The signing of the Women’s Armed Service Integration Act increased women’s interest in the military. Women were now able to take o...
Most people watch this documentary and assume that it is women who we must blame for the suffering of these men. Perhaps if they weren’t so “shallow,” and they were more accepting of all kinds of men, this wouldn’t be the problem. In contrast, I seem to think that women are not at fault. A few bad apples do not poison the rest of the group. The men have themselves and their lack of self esteem to blame.
Mary Anne is initially introduced to the audience, narrated by Rat Kiley, as an innocent and naïve young woman present in Vietnam solely to visit her boyfriend, Mark Fossie. She arrives in “white culottes” and a “sexy pink sweater” (86), and is deemed by the other soldiers as no more than a happy distraction for her man. As Mary Anne settles in though, her abundant curiosity of Vietnam and the war heighten, and she soon enough possesses as much interest in the war as many of the men. Forward, Mary Anne’s transformation into a soldier begins as she leaves her sweet femininity behind. No longer caring for her vanity, she falls “into the habits of the bush. No cosmetics, no fingernail filing. She stopped wearing jewelry, [and] cut her hair short” (94). Mary Anne’s lost femininity is also evident when she handles powerful rifles like the M-16. Not only does the weapon literally scream out masculi...
Ruby, J. (2005, November 1). Women in Combat Roles: Is That the Question?. Off Our Backs,35, 36.
The purpose of this essay is to discuss the issue of rape and sexual assault in the military. The number of attacks for rape and sexual assault in the military are at an all-time high. Women have recently been allowed to fight on the front line. While this may be a huge achievement for women-kind, for this woman, it is a very scary thought. I am a junior at Texas Academy of Biomedical Sciences; a school geared towards students wishing to enter the medical field. I may be forced to join the military one day if a war breaks out and women are needed to protect the country. I would be happy to serve my country if I did not have to be scared of my fellow soldiers. Rape and sexual assault are major issues in the military and have been for many years without much effort to decrease the attacks. I am suggesting that unless the rape and sexual assault issue is fixed, the amount of people joining the military, specifically the women, will decrease greatly.
The Invisible War. Dir. Kirby Dick. Prod. Amy Ziering and Tanner K. Barlow. By Kirby Dick. Chain Camera Pictures, 2012. Online Streaming.