The #MeToo movement is helping to bring light to the accepted #RapeCulture that plagues our society. I learned of the brutal conditions men and women deal with in our military during a conversation with Director Jillian Bullock who connected with men and women who were sexually assaulted while serving in the military. Jillian directed "A Sense of Purpose" a brutally honest recapturing of the #RapeCulture taking place when you sign up to serve and protect our country. The panel discussion that Jillian was part of was focused on telling the stories of women transitioning from military to civilian life. A transition that i learned has taken some 30 years to begin because no one would recognize the pain women endured. Too many women are leaving the military and not applying for the support services they are entitled to due to blocking the institution that raped them. There are services to help women and we should look to help veteran women connect to the services they are entitled to without judgment.
NO ONE LEFT BEHIND!
#MeToo Stories of Military Sexual Trauma
We here at the Women Veterans Outreach program hear stories from the women Vets we work with of sexual harassment and sexual assault in the military every day.
38% of women military personnel and veterans report
Military Sexual Trauma that includes both harassment and assault,
and 24% report being sexually assaulted by a fellow service person.
And those are only the cases that are reported.
Military Sexual Trauma that includes both harassment and assault,
and 24% report being sexually assaulted by a fellow service person.
And those are only the cases that are reported.
In support of these women who have served their country,
in support of all the women who have experienced sexual harassment and assault,
and to raise awareness for the enormous problem of Military Sexual Trauma,
the Women Veteran Outreach Team
will be posting a series of #MeToo stories from the women Veterans they work with.
in support of all the women who have experienced sexual harassment and assault,
and to raise awareness for the enormous problem of Military Sexual Trauma,
the Women Veteran Outreach Team
will be posting a series of #MeToo stories from the women Veterans they work with.
#MeToo is powerful hashtag women have been using to speak out on social media
about experiences of sexual harassment and assault,
and to de-stigmatize speaking out.
about experiences of sexual harassment and assault,
and to de-stigmatize speaking out.
If you are a Veteran or an active duty service member
and you have experienced sexual assault or harassment in the military,
please join with us by tagging your #MeToo post
with @helpforveterans on Twitter or @NationalVeteransFoundation.NVF on Facebook.
If you’d like to share your story anonymously,
please email us at womanvet@nvf.org.
and you have experienced sexual assault or harassment in the military,
please join with us by tagging your #MeToo post
with @helpforveterans on Twitter or @NationalVeteransFoundation.NVF on Facebook.
If you’d like to share your story anonymously,
please email us at womanvet@nvf.org.
#MeToo – Britney shared with the
@NationalVeteransFoundation
I was a Staff NCO and I had a junior Marine (Lcpl) send me lewd
emails regarding dating and meet up.
I reported to his chain of command and they told me “In my days,
we settled it the old fashion way, a rumble in the yard”.
With that said, unless I was willing to physically fight him,
nothing was going to change. And it didn’t… It got worse.
The Lcpl spread rumors about me and I lost respect with my coworkers.
emails regarding dating and meet up.
I reported to his chain of command and they told me “In my days,
we settled it the old fashion way, a rumble in the yard”.
With that said, unless I was willing to physically fight him,
nothing was going to change. And it didn’t… It got worse.
The Lcpl spread rumors about me and I lost respect with my coworkers.
#MeToo – Aimie opened up to
@NationalVeteransFoundation
During a drill weekend, our unit was in the field setting up our cots outside under the stars.
I asked my Plt. Sgt where I needed to put my cot and change-over for the night.
Since I was among the few women that serve in the unit,
I assumed we would be together and have a segregated area to sleep and change.
He told me I was a Marine and that I shouldn’t be treated any differently.
So that night I changed my uniform inside my sleeping bag in front of my
Marine brothers and slept in my cammies.
I asked my Plt. Sgt where I needed to put my cot and change-over for the night.
Since I was among the few women that serve in the unit,
I assumed we would be together and have a segregated area to sleep and change.
He told me I was a Marine and that I shouldn’t be treated any differently.
So that night I changed my uniform inside my sleeping bag in front of my
Marine brothers and slept in my cammies.
#MeToo – Kacie shared with
@NationalVeteransFoundation
I was groped and assaulted in bootcamp then at duty station in Spain,
I was stalked and almost kidnapped.
MST wasn’t something back when i got out.
I am sorry you had to go through what you have. Stay strong. Me too
I was stalked and almost kidnapped.
MST wasn’t something back when i got out.
I am sorry you had to go through what you have. Stay strong. Me too
About the Women Veterans Center:
From the founding of our nation, women have protected America's freedom and the population of Women Veterans is growing rapidly. According to the VA, the current projected percentage of U.S. Veterans who are women is 10 percent. Women make up nearly 11.6 percent of OEF/OIF/OND Veterans and we will continue to see an influx.
Still, Women Veterans remain historically under-represented in using available benefits and may be more reluctant than their male counterparts enhance their status as a veteran. To address these growing and unique needs, in 2014, the Veterans Multi-Service Center created the Women Veterans Center.
Women Veterans Center Mission:
The mission of the Women Veterans Center is to provide a communal space for Women Veterans and their families to heal, grow, and thrive. We offer a wide range of activities, events, and programs allowing Women Veterans to connect to each other and the community.
If you would like to receive more information about upcoming events at the WVC, we invite you to join our monthly e-mail list, or to reach out directly to our Coordinator, Anna Stormer.
Anna Stormer, M.S.
Women Veterans Center Coordinator
Address: 259 N Lawrence Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106
Phone: (215)923-2600 x 171 | Email: WVC@VMCenter.org
http://www.bwjp.org/our-work/topics/military-sexual-assult.html
No comments:
Post a Comment