Sexual Harassment in Military

Sexual Harassment in the Military

Sexual harassment is a significant issue in the military. Sexual harassment is also a complicated issue in the military. In most workplaces, the major concern in regards to sexual harassment relates to women being harassed by males or by a male-oriented environment. In the military, sexual harassment also extends to include the sexual harassment of homosexual males and the sexual harassment of homosexual females. A look at the military reveals that all of these types of sexual harassment occur, that the sexual harassment occurring is significant and serious, and that the sexual harassment has its basis in the culture of the military, which has ingrained ideas about men, women, and sexuality. Each of these types of sexual harassment will now be considered in turn, with this illustrating the nature, the extent, and the reasons behind sexual harassment in the military.

There is a strong level of harassment against female homosexuals in the military, with this specifically related to a desire to identify and exclude female homosexuals from the military. An article in The Advocate describes some of the issues related to the sexual harassment of female homosexuals. The article describes how Nicole Galvan, a cadet at West Point academy was sexually harassed, leading to her leaving West Point voluntarily. The article describes how Nicole Galvan, who is homosexual, traveled to New York City to celebrate her birthday with a female cadet. After returning from New York City, the two women were called into to see an Army officer, who asked them if they were lovers. Galvan informed the officer that they were only friends, but they were still warned that their actions could be perceived as gay. At that point, Galvan felt that she had been harassed and wrote a memo about the incident. In response, Galvan's diary was confiscated and a full investigation was launched. The article describes the outcome of the investigation saying,

The confiscated material was a collage of Galvan's emotions and thoughts, including her growing acceptance of herself as a lesbian. The military began a full investigation, based on her writings, that targeted as many as 30 women ... She and two others were brought up on charges of homosexuality (Moss 36).

The entire process described in the article is referred to as "lesbian baiting" (Moss 37). This refers to the way that homosexual relationships are not allowed in the military. At the same time though, the armed forces are not allowed to ask recruits whether they are homosexual or to discriminate on the basis of sexuality. The end result is that homosexuals are allowed in the military, but homosexual behavior is not allowed. The process of lesbian baiting becomes a way to force homosexuals out of the military by alleging that they are engaging in homosexual behavior. In ways similar to what Galvan experienced, female homosexuals are often targeted, with the potential for charges of homosexuality used to force them to leave the military. This occurrence is part of a culture with ingrained ideas on gender and sexuality. These issues will be further considered by looking at the sexual harassment of women by men.

The sexual harassment of women by men is a significant issue in the military, not only because it occurs, but also because the threat of being charged with homosexuality is used to coerce women into having sex. One article reports that 18% of women in the Army have been subject to sexual harassment in the form of being coerced into having sex. Another 47% say that they have received unwanted sexual harassment (Newman). The sexual harassment of women in the military became a major public issue during the 1996 Aberdeen Proving Ground scandal. This scandal revealed that female trainees at the Aberdeen Proving Ground were being sexually harassed by male drill sergeants. The investigation into repeated allegations of rape and sexual abuse led to a number of male instructors being charged with sex crimes. Grossman (71) describes the outcome saying,

Ultimately, a dozen drill instructors were charged with sex crimes under the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Four were sent to prison; eight others were discharged or punished administratively. Letters of reprimand were issued to Aberdeen's commanding general and three other senior officers. The most serious punishment was handed down to Staff Sgt. Delmar Simpson, a drill sergeant sentenced to 25 years in prison for numerous counts of rape and abuse.

Grossman also notes that the problems at Aberdeen led to larger investigations of sexual harassment in the military, and that these revealed a culture was ingrained and often considered the norm. Another issue that complicates the sexual harassment of women is that the possibility of being investigated for homosexuality can be used as a weapon by men. In The Advocate, Moss also describes the case of Amy Barnes, who was discharged from the Navy after being investigated for homosexuality. Barnes is quotes saying that, "If you're a woman and single and don't want to sleep around with every guy, they think you must be gay" (Moss 38). Barnes's opinion is that the investigation and her subsequent discharge is all a result of not being interested in a male sailor. Randy Shilts, the author of Conduct Unbecoming: Gays and Lesbians in the U.S. Military, argues that this happens constantly in the military. Shilts describes a number of cases where women have been investigated for homosexuality after claiming they had been sexually harassed my males. Shilts evens goes as far as suggesting that some women in the military allow themselves to be raped for fear of being charged with homosexuality. The suggestion made by Shilts is that the sexual harassment of women is so widespread in the military that any woman not open to giving sexual favors to men is assumed to be lesbian. This describes an environment where it seems to be the accepted view that women should be sexual towards men. With this view, sexual harassment becomes seen as accepted behavior. The end result is that when a woman objects to sexual harassment, it is assumed that the only valid reason for her refusal of men is that she must be homosexual. This illustrates that sexual harassment is largely ingrained in the culture of the military.