women in the military

I heard from, my morning news source, the Uptake this morning, that there has been a report that has come out about women in the military. It reports that there has been an increase number of sexual assaults being reported by female soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan. I think they said it was a 7 or 9% increase. They don't believe that that is do to the fact that there have been more sexual assaults, necessarily, than in recently years but that women are coming forward more, but the real truth is that most go un-reported.

It turns out that even if a female soldier comes forward and reports the sexual assault--chances are more likely that the attacker will be "kick-out" of the military but criminal charges will never reach him. About 9% of sexual assault cases ever reach the court in the military vs. the 40% of civilian cases.

As more and more women volunteer to be in military, the VA services are still not equipped to provide full and adequate service to their female soldiers. The report said that they are trying to make the changes but they are not happening quick enough. In comparing them to 10 years ago, not a lot has changed. One female veteran reported feeling very out of place trying to get help. She even said she got "cat-calls" as she walked down the hall as "if she were a candy-striper handing out cigarettes."

oh yes--women are COMPLETELY EQUAL aren't we

our American women are going over to war zones to risk their lives for our country and they are being attack from both sides! This is a disgrace how our female soldiers are being treated!

We have to support them.

We have to support women in every stage of life even if it does or it doesn't involve going into the military.

We should support the troops - Male and Female!