Essay on Military Sexual Assault The Invisible War by...

Throughout history, the United States Military has faced numerous scandals. From its role in the Vietnam War, to the Iran-Contra Affair, to the Iraq War, to the abuse and denial of due process rights to detainees currently held indefinitely at the detention center at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba; the Department of Defense has undeniably raised many questions about its ethics and treatment toward both civilians and fellow members of the Armed Forces alike. One recent scandal, which would now appear to be becoming the standard, is that of sexual assault within the military. However, due to a campaign of awareness, grassroots activism, and pressuring elected officials to do what is right, things are now beginning to change. It can, and has, been†¦show more content†¦In â€Å"The Invisible War,† it is noted that â€Å"women who have been raped in the military have a PTSD rate higher than men who have been in combat† (The Invisible War, 2012). The impact that military sexu al assault has on victims is tremendous. Both physical and mental trauma are common, and they play a significant role in how victims of sexual assault are able to return to their daily lives. Research conducted by Valerie L. Forman-Hoffman, Michelle Mengeling, Brenda M. Booth, James Torner, and Anne G. Sadler (2012) on the study of eating disorders, PTSD, and sexual trauma among female veterans found that â€Å"overall, nearly 62% of respondents reported at least one attempted or completed sexual trauma during their lifetime, nearly 51% reported at least one completed rape, and an additional 10.9% reported at least one attempted sexual assault solely. Almost one-third (32.5%) of respondents reported sexual trauma during military service (24.6% completed rape and an additional 7.9% attempted sexual assault). ... In addition, about one in five (24.6%) reported lifetime PTSD diagnosis† (Forman-Hoffman, V. L., Mengeling, M., Booth, B.M., Torner, J., Sadler, A.G., p. 1164). The r esearch conducted by Forman-Hoffman, V. L., et al. (2012) found that eating disorders and PTSD are common characteristics among female victims of sexual assault. Additionally, the study found â€Å"significant eating and weight-related impairment among women veterans†