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  • Essay / Military Sexual Assault - 1518

    What do Americans hope for when they send their young men and women to serve their country? Some will say justice and duty; others hope that their loved ones will gain respect and responsibility. But the overall idea Americans want for their sailors and soldiers, whether abroad or on land, is security. Safety from dangers and unnecessary evils that may be present in any area they enter. What if this idea of ​​security was a joke? What if the very people we sent to protect us become victims, helping only a fleeting hope? The US military is currently facing this epidemic. The epidemic is known as sexual assault. The commanders charged with protecting our armed forces from unwarranted violence may actually be the ones obstructing their security and justice through myriad discrimination. Sexual assault cases must be removed from military authorities and transferred to the civilian justice system to avoid unfair trials and mistreatment of victims. In turn, the results will provide victims and perpetrators with fair trials and a chance to be heard. Currently, the armed forces have a mechanism that victims can turn to once a sexual assault has occurred. This system is known as restricted and unlimited reporting. Restricted reports are, in a way, completely confidential. The Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) was not notified, meaning an investigation into the sexual assault would not be initiated. Command will be notified, but no identifying information is provided regarding the victim or perpetrator. The victim has a choice as to who they can disclose information to in order to make a restricted report. They can report their trauma to a De...... middle of paper ......uddy is a sailor or soldier standing, it is possible that the report that the command receives after a sexual assault will promote this Forces Armed forces generally have a lot of work to do to prevent and respond appropriately to sexual assault. But testimonies from individuals who have been brutally raped show that it is military leaders who do the most harm. These superior officers prevent victims from getting justice and the help they deserve, either by favoring the perpetrator or punishing the victim using the law. In civilian courts, rapists can be sentenced to years in prison while soldiers can only see their rank demoted. Military sexual assault cases must be taken out of the hands of the military and brought before civilian courts where victims can get the satisfaction they deserve by putting their attackers behind bars..