Topic > Sexual Violence in the Military: Why the Numbers Are Still Rising

Sexual violence is a major topic in the military only because the numbers seem to continue to rise with no answers. According to Merriam-Webster.com, sexual assault is “unlawful sexual contact that usually involves force on a person without consent or is inflicted on a person who is incapable of giving consent due to age, physical or mental incapacity". Sexual violence is illegal which means a legal justice system is needed for adjudication, is this why the numbers are increasing because the army does not deal with these cases in a legal context or is it because the victims don't want to push for any legal punishment? We say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay There is never a complete answer to “why does sexual violence occur?” I believe the most common sexual assault incidents that occur in the military are alcohol related. Alcohol impairs your judgment and body functions. A person who doesn't know their limits with alcohol or doesn't have a good friend around makes it easier for predators to attack them. These offenders pray on individuals who appear desperate and incapable of making rational decisions. I believe the Army's approach to training could reduce the risk of sexual assault. The reason I say that may be because many members of the military do not take the SHARP program seriously until they find themselves in a sexual assault situation. Some think it's just another training that they simply have to attend and be marked that they were present at the training. The SHARP program, also known as the Sexual Harassment Prevention/Response Program, was created to help prevent sexual harassment/assault before it occurs and is also a guide to help those who find themselves in sexual harassment/assault situations . Inform people about how to go about reporting the incident and what makes it a restricted or non-restricted case. The Army has two types of reporting options. Limited reporting "allows the victim to report the crime to specific individuals who can then ensure the victim receives medical attention, SARC or VA assistance, treatment and counseling without notifying command or law enforcement officials." This gives the victim time to decide if they want to report this crime to law enforcement. The second option Unrestricted reporting offers the same medical treatment as restricted reporting but includes an official investigation into the crime. The healthcare provider will also conduct a Sexual Assault Forensic Examination (SAFE) in which they will collect evidence from the victim of the assault. The victim's chain of command will be notified, but details regarding the incident will be limited only to personnel who have a legitimate need to know.' With these two types of reporting options, if the victim chooses Restricted, they can switch to Unrestricted at any time. They cannot change from Unrestricted to Restricted. Honestly, the victim has the opportunity to report the crime however they want. So with this information why do the numbers continue to increase? Perhaps victims use limited reporting more than unrestricted reporting. I have often heard that limited reporting is the most commonly used reporting in the military. When a victim uses limited reporting, they only report experiencing sexual violence, but no justice is served against the perpetrator, which leaves them free to harm others. Please note: this is just an example. Get one now.