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The Invisible War - 12/1/2012 11:13:33 PM   
puella


Posts: 2457
Joined: 12/2/2004
Status: offline 		So I am unwell and have been wrapped up on the couch watching stuff from my Netflix queue and this documentary, The Invisible War was up next..

I am not one to shove people towards a movie but, holy hell this was just shocking. It is a documentary on rape in the military and the numbers are shocking... not jut the number of rapes, but the shockingly low number of any sort of prosecution for the documented rapes that happen.

If you have Netflix, I highly recommend you watch this.. I had no idea the problem was so gross. I also did not realize that the courts had ruled rape within the military as 'job hazard' which does not allow the victim any recompense (be it monitary or medical).

Any way... there is a website that goes along with the movie... it wouldn't take much for you to look that over...


http://www.notinvisible.org/


I am not one for tossing out movies and websites for people to look at but... this really got to me, out of the sheer and blatant lunacy of the process.

< Message edited by puella -- 12/1/2012 11:19:07 PM >

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RE: The Invisible War - 12/2/2012 1:30:41 AM   
littlewonder


Posts: 15659
Status: offline 		Yup....lived it. Not surprising. Unfortunately the military is notorious for hush hush for crimes of all types, not just rapes.


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RE: The Invisible War - 12/2/2012 6:08:59 AM   
JeffBC


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From: Canada
Status: offline 		I've known this for some time although I've never been in the military. I can tell you that the thought I've had on this topic for over a decade is, "Man, things would be different if I was the command in chief. I'd be RESPONSIBLE for this crap and I'd be mightily annoyed (understatement of the year) at it. That annoyance would communicate quite clearly to my subordinates."

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RE: The Invisible War - 12/2/2012 7:49:16 AM   
Level


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Status: offline 		I've heard about it; it is beyond shameful that this happens. Little wonder, I'm sorry you went through it.

Hope you get to feeling better, puella.

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RE: The Invisible War - 12/2/2012 8:02:36 AM   
FlashinaPan


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Status: offline 		i saw this doc a few months ago and was beyond appalled. What stayed with me was how most was how the rapes were committed by the men closest to these women. I think a psychologist in the documentary said it was like being raped by a family member, and how that added another layer to the coping process. That, and how the military did nothing to help these women - and in fact, pretty much said being raped by your comrades was just a byproduct of being in the military as a woman.

< Message edited by FlashinaPan -- 12/2/2012 8:05:13 AM >

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RE: The Invisible War - 12/2/2012 9:04:18 AM   
puella


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Status: offline 		Oh, doll, it didn't happen to me, I just watched the documentary and am hoping others will too.

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We must move forward, not backward, upward, not forward, and always twirling, twirling, twirling towards freedom...... The Simpsons

War is God's way of teaching Americans geography." ...Ambrose Bierce

"Don't you oppress me!"....Stan/Loretta

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RE: The Invisible War - 12/2/2012 9:16:44 AM   
MisPattySweets


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Status: offline 		I military turns a blind eye to more than you know.

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RE: The Invisible War - 12/2/2012 9:26:23 AM   
JeffBC


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quote:

ORIGINAL: Level
I've heard about it; it is beyond shameful that this happens. Little wonder, I'm sorry you went through it.

And the point I have never understood is why we don't hang that shame where it properly belongs. The POTUS is the commander in chief. The buck stops on his desk. The shame is his. I personally find the fact that this shame doesn't bother him to be telling. I find the fact that it doesn't really bother the American populace to also be telling. We appear to be pretty OK with "boys will be boys".


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I'm a lover of "what is", not because I'm a spiritual person, but because it hurts when I argue with reality. -- Bryon Katie
"You're humbly arrogant" -- sunshinemiss
officially a member of the K Crowd

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RE: The Invisible War - 12/2/2012 10:13:39 AM   
Rule


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Status: offline 		Military people preferably have no conscience and a high level of aggression, in order for them to murder/kill efficiently and without compunction. That psychological profile also might describe a person who is more likely to rape someone.

ETA: The best course of action, I suppose, is to coach them - and other people - in the proper ways to woe a woman.

< Message edited by Rule -- 12/2/2012 10:17:51 AM >

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RE: The Invisible War - 12/2/2012 10:32:18 AM   
Level


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quote:

ORIGINAL: JeffBC

quote:

ORIGINAL: Level
I've heard about it; it is beyond shameful that this happens. Little wonder, I'm sorry you went through it.

And the point I have never understood is why we don't hang that shame where it properly belongs. The POTUS is the commander in chief. The buck stops on his desk. The shame is his. I personally find the fact that this shame doesn't bother him to be telling. I find the fact that it doesn't really bother the American populace to also be telling. We appear to be pretty OK with "boys will be boys".



Yes.

No matter how one feels about women in the military, they are still serving this country, and deserve better.

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Fake the heat and scratch the itch
Skinned up knees and salty lips
Let go it's harder holding on
One more trip and I'll be gone

~~ Stone Temple Pilots

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RE: The Invisible War - 12/2/2012 12:37:28 PM   
JeffBC


Posts: 5799
Joined: 2/12/2012
From: Canada
Status: offline 		... and just because this is a serious pet peeve of mine I'll get on my soapbox one last time then let it go...

How fucking hard is it exactly to call a meeting of the joint chiefs of staff and inform them that they have a new mission objective? During that meeting you could find anyone who felt that the mission was not achievable and relieve them of command which should serve to highlight the ugency of this particular mission. If I was the commander in chief I would see every single one of these exactly as if it had been my own son or daughter who had been raped. I therefor feel confident that my sense of urgency along with my resolve would communicate clearly. Personally I think I could handle the entire thing in a memo with no more than a few sentences in it... well that and relieving no more than 2 of the joint chiefs. I'm sure by then the rest would come to share my sense of urgency. I can get new generals and admirals. I cannot get new honor.

"You have failed me for the last time, admiral"

It's not freakin hard. Darth Vader demonstrated quite clearly how one properly motivates in a situation such as this.

*sigh* OK, I'm letting this one go now.

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I'm a lover of "what is", not because I'm a spiritual person, but because it hurts when I argue with reality. -- Bryon Katie
"You're humbly arrogant" -- sunshinemiss
officially a member of the K Crowd

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RE: The Invisible War - 12/2/2012 12:52:40 PM   
Moonhead


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quote:

ORIGINAL: Rule
Military people preferably have no conscience and a high level of aggression, in order for them to murder/kill efficiently and without compunction. That psychological profile also might describe a person who is more likely to rape someone.

On our planet, dearie, they're everyday people who join the military and then (in a few cases) decide that it gives them a license to behave abominably.
It isn't like we grow special "military people" in tanks or something.

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RE: The Invisible War - 12/2/2012 5:01:46 PM   
littlewonder


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quote:

ORIGINAL: Moonhead

It isn't like we grow special "military people" in tanks or something.


SSShhhhh....you weren't supposed to know that Moonhead! Be careful. The "powers that be" are watching you now!



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RE: The Invisible War - 12/2/2012 5:06:32 PM   
hlen5


Posts: 5890
Joined: 3/2/2008
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quote:

ORIGINAL: Rule

Military people preferably have no conscience and a high level of aggression, in order for them to murder/kill efficiently and without compunction. That psychological profile also might describe a person who is more likely to rape someone.

ETA: The best course of action, I suppose, is to coach them - and other people - in the proper ways to woe a woman.


I think they've got the "woe" down pat. They need to woo.

Also, as a veteran I can assure you the the vast, vast majority does have a conscience, with the varying levels of aggression you would notice in any population.

ETA: As a veteran this does not come as a surprise to me. I talked myself out of a couple of hairy situations.


< Message edited by hlen5 -- 12/2/2012 5:10:48 PM >

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RE: The Invisible War - 12/3/2012 5:42:40 AM   
Silentrunner26


Posts: 424
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Status: offline 		If you knew everything the government did you would burn Washington . The cover ups and the waste of money is so wrong .

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RE: The Invisible War - 12/3/2012 1:44:58 PM   
outlier


Posts: 1111
Joined: 10/22/2005
Status: offline 		First, Great to see you posting again puella, and get well soon.

NPR had a feature on this issue today.  Some interesting and
scary stuff came out.  

Fighting Back Against Sexual Assault In The Military

This is so bad that there is an office of sexual assault in the Pentagon. 
They also interviewed the clinical psychologist who was one of the original deputy directors.
In addition to being a clinical psychologist in my opinion he is a very slick politician.

I think the fact that this office exists is a flashing red sign that many things are wrong!

One woman they interviewed had been a victim multiple times.
She has an online petition here to make perpetrating sexual assault
part of the perpetrator's discharge record.  At the present time it is not!
She also wants to create a national registry of military sexual offenders.

Petition Here:  National Registry of Military Sexual Offenders.




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RE: The Invisible War - 12/3/2012 3:20:37 PM   
Kana


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Status: offline 		Hell, it ain't just the military-in Baltimore rape reports are discouraged by police on a regular basis.

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RE: The Invisible War - 12/3/2012 4:05:18 PM   
TheBanshee


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Joined: 7/19/2007
Status: offline 		It is appalling. What is more appalling than even the rape is the fact that it gets covered up. It happens in the military, it happened with the priests, it happened at Penn State with Sandusky. It happens in colleges - they want to keep their reputations pristine so they close ranks and victimize the victims over again.

When the dirty secrets become open, it also puts a blemish on so many truly good people who are priests, coaches, officers who serve with dignity and honor.




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RE: The Invisible War - 12/3/2012 4:31:09 PM   
fucktoyprincess


Posts: 2337
Status: offline 		Women still have an upward battle when it comes to rape charges, whether it is in the military or in civilian life. Anyone who thinks these types of issues do not exist in America has their head in the sand. I ask everyone reading this thread, and who sees this film to be mindful of accusing people in other countries of repressing women, or being hateful to women. We seem to have plenty going on in our own country/institutions to worry about.

Being a woman in this country still means being treated like a second class citizen on some dimensions. It does. And the fact that such a documentary and website needs to even exist is ample proof of that.

I've almost given up hope on a more enlightened future for humanity when it comes to things like this. After all, if it doesn't even seem to be happening here, what hope is there for the rest of the world.

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RE: The Invisible War - 12/3/2012 7:16:44 PM   
theRose4U


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quote:

ORIGINAL: MisPattySweets

I military turns a blind eye to more than you know.

I have a better idea than most & know the pool of hidden stuff is many multiples of the size people imagine in their nightmares...& its soon to be much worse when some pending legislation to allow no warrent access to websites, cell phones & emails just because a government official wants to see it. You will get a notice...90 days AFTER all investigation is done. They can use warrentless info to get warrents to search property & the like.
Somewhere my relative that signed the declaration of independence is rolling in his grave

As for rape in the military, there were actual cost benefit analysis done on modifying navy ships for female quarters to determine if paying lawsuits was cheaper. Its this cost benefit that still keeps women off subs because 3 bathrooms (officer, male & female) would be too expensive & use rotation impractical.
I find it sad the finding of "adversarial rape of women captured in combat" has been used to forgive mis-use of rank then blame the victim.

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