Sexual Harassment and Discrimination in the Military
Women in the U.S. military have always had a "tough row to hoe"; those women who literally broke ground, opened doors, and made the choice of a military career easier for those who followed, were the beginning. Today the fight is continuing. Inequality and sexual harassment towards women continues to persist, because the military¡¦s leadership when faced with the option of ill repute or justice ignores justice.
Women deserve fair treatment, a non-hostile environment, and a chance to further their careers on an equal footing with man. The fact that harassment, discrimination, and sexual assaults are still occurring in our esteemed military in such numbers is appalling. The military¡¦s overall treatment, lack of respect in handling sexual harassment accusations and the repeated cover-ups of sexual harassment/assault crimes committed by generals is a national disgrace. Nonetheless, we can only make reparation for past injustices, plan to prevent them from occurring again, and hope that tomorrow will be better than yesterday.
To make tomorrow better than yesterday The Uniform code of Military Justice needs a complete overhauled. Last updated in 1983, the code is lacking any mention of the term sexual harassment. Thought this is a startling realization to us civilians, it is total normal for the military. Sexual harassment, though not mentioned in the code, is a crime under Article 134; ¡§Article 134 is the catch-all of this nation¡¦s military justice system, a compendium of 55 offenses that the armed forces say are prejudicial to good order and discipline or likely to bring discredit on the service¡¨(Gross-Justice¡K). Article 134 establishes an extremely high standard of conduct to maintain an orderly fighting force and prevent abuses of power in a hierarchical system where men and women live and work together 24 hours a day.
Sexual harassment is an offense committed by both females and males in assorted measures; it is predominately committed by males against
Women deserve fair treatment, a non-hostile environment, and a chance to further their careers on an equal footing with man. The fact that harassment, discrimination, and sexual assaults are still occurring in our esteemed military in such numbers is appalling. The military¡¦s overall treatment, lack of respect in handling sexual harassment accusations and the repeated cover-ups of sexual harassment/assault crimes committed by generals is a national disgrace. Nonetheless, we can only make reparation for past injustices, plan to prevent them from occurring again, and hope that tomorrow will be better than yesterday.
To make tomorrow better than yesterday The Uniform code of Military Justice needs a complete overhauled. Last updated in 1983, the code is lacking any mention of the term sexual harassment. Thought this is a startling realization to us civilians, it is total normal for the military. Sexual harassment, though not mentioned in the code, is a crime under Article 134; ¡§Article 134 is the catch-all of this nation¡¦s military justice system, a compendium of 55 offenses that the armed forces say are prejudicial to good order and discipline or likely to bring discredit on the service¡¨(Gross-Justice¡K). Article 134 establishes an extremely high standard of conduct to maintain an orderly fighting force and prevent abuses of power in a hierarchical system where men and women live and work together 24 hours a day.
Sexual harassment is an offense committed by both females and males in assorted measures; it is predominately committed by males against
Cited: Baxter, Roxanne. ¡§Transcript: Interview with Roxanne Baxter.¡¨ PBS Online (1998). Chivers, C. J. ¡§Yes, There is a Double Standard.¡¨ New York Times 17 Nov. 1996: Late Ed. Facts about Sexual Harassment. U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. January 15, 1997 <http://www.eeoc.gov/facts/fs-sex.html>. Finder, Joseph. ¡§The Army on Trial.¡¨ New York Times 17 Feb. 1998: Late Ed. Gross, Jane. ¡§Justice in the Military Has its Reasons.¡¨ New York Times 1 Mar. 1998: Late Ed. ----. ¡§When Character Counts.¡¨ New York Times 15 Mar. 1998: Late Ed. ----. ¡§Sexual Harassment Case Polarizes Soldiers.¡¨ New York Times 16 Feb. 1997: Late Ed. ¡§TAILHOOK INCIDENT 92.¡¨ National Organization for Women Webb, James. ¡§Transcript: Interview with James Webb.¡¨ PBS Online (1998).