Sexual Assault of Women in the U.S. Military

Monday, January 5, 2009: 9:30 AM
Sutton South (Hilton New York)
Ann Wright , United States Army Reserves, Washington, DC
According to Veterans Administration statistics, one in three women in the Army will be raped during her time in the military. While Department of Defense has a program for reporting sexual attacks, the
prosecution of perpetrators seldom happens and those convicted are seldom sentenced to jail time.  I will present a brief historical backdrop, include an analysis of how male-perpetrated sexual violence is used to argue against women’s participation and equal status in the military, present the latest statistics on these criminal acts, and suggest ways to resolve the problem.