Despite military's efforts, sexual assault remains a major problem

 

Practicing safer sex is one of the best ways to avoid contracting a sexually transmitted disease (STD). Experiencing a sexual assault is traumatic enough in the first place, but to make matters worse a 2008 study conducted by researchers at the University of Washington found that 41 percent of assault perpetrators reported not using a condom, increasing the chance that the victim will get an STD.

Recently, The Currier-Journal, a Kentucky news source, found that one in five women who go to a Veterans Affairs (VA) medical facility report experiencing "military sexual trauma." While the Department of Defense (DoD) has strived to create more programs to raise awareness of this problem and offer resources to victims, some military personnel say that more needs to be done.

"Sexual assault is a crime that has gone on for too long, with too little done to stop it," said Jennifer Hunt, a member of the Army Reserve from Connecticut, at the U.S. House Veterans Affairs Committee in 2010, quoted by the news source.

Sexual trauma can include not only unwanted touching and intercourse, but also offensive remarks about a person's body and threatening sexual advances. The VA reports that one out of every 100 male soldiers also reports being a victim of this typed of behavior, usually perpetrated by another soldier.

While the DoD has added more victim advocates and sexual assault response coordinators, the American Legion Women Veterans Survey Report, released in March, found that 36 percent of respondents were dissatisfied with the care they received at the VA.

Denise Williams, assistant director for health policy at the American Legion, told the news source that it has to be the responsibility of the DoD, the VA and the veterans’ advocacy community to work together to reduce the number of military sexual assaults.