What I loved most about Errol Morris’ Standard Operating Procedure was that it was in many ways a “woman’s picture.” That is, the women, and their experience in the military, albeit in some very specific circumstances, was at the heart of the film. Their villianization, from Janis Karpinski to Lynndie England, from high rank to low, was one of the major crimes of Abu Ghraib and of course almost no one reported on it.

It was with little surprise then that I sat down to read Paul Rieckhoff’s piece in the Huffington Post entitled Sexual Assault and the Military: When Will the Pentagon Take Action?.

Rieckhoff, founder of IAVA (Iraq & Afghanistan Veterans of America), writes:

Almost one-third of women veterans say they were sexually assaulted while in the military. (In the general population, one out of every six American women has been a victim of a sexual assault.) Already, 15 percent of female Iraq and Afghanistan veterans who have gone to the VA for care have screened positive for Military Sexual Trauma. But even these troubling figures may not be telling the whole story; experts estimate that half of all sexual assaults go unreported. [HuffingtonPost]

Another disturbing fact from Rieckhoff is that

In 2007, only 8 percent of sexual assailants were referred to courts martial, compared with 40 percent of similar offenders prosecuted in the civilian court system. [HuffPo}

And what did the Pentagon do when given the chance to defend itself at a House Oversight Committee hearing? Did they use the opportunity to address the problem and find solutions?

Nope.

The head of the Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Office (SAPRO) was instead told not to attend. This is outright offensive.

Thankfully, the Congress subpoenaed SAPRO and they’ll have to testify or the head might face jail time.

What can you do?

Well for this specific issue you can contact your Congressperson and let them know how you feel. Make a stink about it! Tell them you’re sick of women being attacked and having it brushed under the rug.

Also, get involved with IAVA, takepart and visit their action center for ways that you can support your veterans.

Read on:

• Errol Morris Talks Standard Operating Procedure at Tribeca Film Festival
• Paul Rieckhoff: Sexual Assault and the Military: When Will the Pentagon Take Action?
• Grassroots Power: Thank You Video From Senators Webb and Hagel for Supporting New GI Bill

*photo by fullofheart (and in no way suggests the women pictured were attacked