Rape in War

Rape and War

I understand that there is an instinctual desire to create life when there has been a death of someone close.  It isn't something logical and it often  effects both men and women.

I remember a PBS program following the lives of young African American women, teenagers.  One girl was being raised by her grandmother who kept a condom supply openly available, both for herself and her granddaughter. 

This young lady was an excellent student, a beautiful singer, and was scrupulous about condom use.  Then her favorite and much loved cousin was killed.  She became pregnant and simply couldn't explain why.

I thought I might understand some of it.  When my father died I was fifteen.  I loved him very deeply and he was the only person who consistently showed me kindness.  This doesn't mean he was perfect, it meant he was the only person I cared enough to try and please.  And he did love his kids.

After he died I felt terrible grief and there was nowhere to go for help.  I became sexually active.  This is a normal thing for a 15 year-old to do, especially today.  But I was 15 many decades ago.

So I understand that where there is death, there is an instinctual craving for sex, the means to create life.

Helen Benedict in her book, "The Lonely Soldier" describes the sexual harassment, assault, and rape of American women soldiers by American male soldiers.  In countries where no prostitution is allowed, because of Islamic law and a woman caught with a foreign soldier may be literally raped then stoned to death, our soldiers are attacking their sisters in arms.

I get very tired of patriotic slogans which Never admit what war means.  War always means the rape of girls and women.  War always means destruction of the environment.  War always leads to food shortages and oftenh the deaths of many children.  Innocent civilians are murdered and accidentally killed in Every war. 

Why were people in this country so shocked that prison guards allowed to mistreat American prisoners did the same and took pictures of it in Iraq?

We have a history of saying, "Well, that's war."  Maybe we can say this because, with the exceptions of the bombing of Pearl Harbor and the attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon,  it hasn't happened on Our soil since the Civil War. Although our veterans, who DO deserve our care know, and so do some Native Americans.  Leslie Marmon Silko talks about the "Indian slave trade" in the Southwest, which happened after the Civil War was fought.

War Always means the deaths of elders who hold the culture together.

This is why it should be the Absolute Last Resort.  Oil isn't worth it, somebody's Election isn't worth it, a Pipe line isn't worth it, diamonds and Gold aren't worth it!  But for these very things we fight, maim, kill, and rape.

So what should be done For the women soldiers coming back from Iraq and Afghanistan?  Do we blame the victim?  "That's what they get for signing up?"  Talk about PTSD!  Not Only does a friendly Iraqi look to an untrained eye like a "Hostile" who would plant an IED by the roadside, but women troops must be on guard against their male counterparts.  This problem must be Openly Acknowledged and Dealt with.

And what about marines who rape their sisters?  Should they get Honorable Discharges and no criminal record?

What do you think?  I admire the courage of the Lance Corporal below.  At the Very least, she is Trying to Wake our sleeping citizens up to Part of the nature of War Itself.  And if I understand her petition would also include soldiers who rape girls and women of the countries where they are stationed, and are convicted.

As a sexually abused child I have always wondered about the connections between sex and death.  I have felt that sex Could be an expression of love, but haven't experienced this.  I know that blind prisoners were often targets of rape in the prisons where I did Rehab. Teaching.  I have tried to understand, knowing that we all are capable of atrocities under the right circumstances, but I have failed to truly understand. 

Yes, you will have to look up the organization to sign the petition if you think it is fair.

Change.org

Lance Corporal Nicole McCoy wants soldiers who are found guilty of rape and sexual assault in the military to be identified as sex offenders.

petitions/secretary-of-defense-create-a-central-national-registry-for-military-sex-offenders?utm_source=action_alert&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=7877&alert_id=GWTJCDsPSi_bVNxGvYxgK

Sign Nicole's Petition

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I served as a Lance Corporal in the Marines for over three years.

During that time, I was raped twice and sexually assaulted twice more.

 It happened so often that I assumed it must be normal.

After I left the Marines, I learned that some studies estimate that

one in three women who serve in the US military are raped during their service.

 But according to current military law,

military rapists are not required to register as sex offenders in a national database

or to list their crimes on their discharge papers

.

I don't think it's right that some convicted sex offenders get to wipe their records

clean when they leave the military.

That's why I started a petition on Change.org asking the Department of Defense to create a mandatory national database for convicted military sex offenders -- and to make sure they register at the local level too.

Click here to add your name to my petition.

Thank you,

Lance Corporal Nicole McCoy

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