Just so you know, at least when I was in the Army 10 years ago, it was talked about. When they talked about rape, the men were included with the women, and the statistics given. It wasn't presented as just a female problem. The problem, however, is that you can talk about it until the cows come home. Until better resources are provided to both men and women, nothing is going to be done about it.
I am really really happy to hear that. I've been watching this thing with Gillibrand's bill and wondering if there was some conspiracy of silence. I will say that the army is often really awesome about things in ways that outsiders might not expect, so I'm not astounded at the good news, but I am pleased!! (And yeah, resources for soldiers is always a--I'm always shocked at how little actual financial might is placed behind the rhetoric of appreciating our soldiers, just as I'm always shocked at how little money is there to help parents when there's this broad rhetoric of PARENTING IS SO IMPORTANT blah blah.)
Yes! It made me crazy that during the last flap about sexual assault & coverups in the military, with all the testifying before Congress & coverage of horrible personal stories & more, I never heard one single word about male victims. If the oversight had been due to a reasoned decision to focus attention specifically on harrassment & disempowerment of women in the military I would have sympathized with the decision, even tho' I personally disagree with it. However, I'd bet my last penny that wasn't the reason for the silence, at least on the part of many in the military, political & news organizations. They simply don't want to acknowlege rape & assault of men in public, or deal with it at all unless forced to. I read & believe the comment piplover wrote about the Army educating both men & women about rape of both. Talking about it within the ranks of active-duty soldiers is one thing. Talking about servicemen (virtually always it's men) raping other servicemen, in public, in front of Congress & cameras & parents & children &
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Good entry!
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