Just reading an article in L’actualité “Crimes Sexuels dans l’Armée Canadienne”, published May 15, 2014. Serious problem in the Army among the enlisted – not only in Canada – but this article provides detail statistics on the large number of cases of sexual harassment and even more serious criminal behaviour among the Forces, from low to high ranks, especially against female soldiers who suffer from those attacks more than men. It is stated that in the Canadian Forces every day five persons are sexually harassed to the point of {in certain circumstances} can be described as rape. This investigation results in a very detailed description of how the Military operates, the various echelons responsible and keeping tight-lipped, and how Superiors, the Military Police, Judge Advocate General and other legal entities respond to any reported incidences.
{From my previous post. [ https://renataveritasopinion.wordpress.com/2014/05/ ]}
A follow-up documentary with an interview of one of the highest ranking females in the Canadian Forces appeared recently again in the Quebec journal l’Actualité : UNE MISSION IMPOSSIBLE ?. [L’actualité 15 juin 2015]
While the Canadian Forces in response to continuing reports of sexual harassment in the Army is creating a special branch for dealing with those matters, it is still questionable that any of that particular Army culture will change as a result. After six months of research and 700 interviews the ex-Judge of the Supreme Court whose mandate it was to examine these cases, concludes ‘that the leaders at all levels are still keep their mouths shut’. It appears that the mission is to protect the female Army personnel against attacks.
The difference now seems to be that Army personnel accused of sexual harassment acts against their fellow female soldiers are also accountable to the civil justice system, not only an internal court martial.
It seems more a question of who is exercising control over whom. For example, a female soldier is sexually harassed or even raped by one of her superiors. She keeps her mouth shut or she be kicked out or even worse the harassment continues worse than before. Has there ever been any case where an inferior ranked female harassed a superior ? or an inferior ranked male harassed his superior officer ?
I believe the entire power structure in the Army should be looked at, “who takes advantage of whom” ? Personally, even it was my superior and I would get harassed, I would fight back. Guess what, nobody would say anything because of lack of witnesses.
If you are a woman and a soldier, you have a weapon. That is enough to fight back. If you are a female soldier you behave just like your male soldier, including preferably not going out into bars with them.