Rape and sexual assault in deployed military Term Paper

Rape and sexual assault in deployed military - Term Paper Example However, some senators have taken a bleak view of the lackadaisical manner, in which the armed forces deal with such incidents. For instance, Senator Kay Bailey Hitchison wrote to the Air Force Secretary, directing an investigation into 24 cases of rape of females at the Sheppard Air Force Base in Texas. What was of great significance was that she was apprehensive regarding the manner, in which these cases would be dealt with. In addition, she had serious misgivings about whether the rape victims would obtain justice from these investigations (News in Brief. National , 2004). The US military gives the victims of sexual assault, two choices, in respect of reporting. The first is that of restricted reporting, wherein the assault is brought to the notice of a chaplain, DSARC, UVA or medical provider. Such reporting remains uninvestigated or unreported to the next superior officer, in the chain of command. The other option provided is that of unrestricted reporting, in which the assault is not reported to any entity of restricted reporting. Such unrestricted reports have to be perforce investigated and brought to the notice of the appropriate authority in the chain of command. There is a provision for victims to commence restricted reporting and subsequently change over to unrestricted reporting (Pariante, 2009). The victim obtains the same medical care, irrespective of the mode of reporting. They are provided with treatment that addresses physical injuries, pregnancy or infection with sexually transmitted diseases, pursuant to the sexual assault. In addition, such individuals are also provided with psychiatric assistance to come to terms with emotional effects, like depression, flashbacks, suicidal thoughts and rape trauma syndrome. Many a victim of rape has reported numbness, a dazed feeling, sense of being withdrawn from the surroundings, fear for personal safety, humiliation, shame and guilt (Pariante,