SEXUAL HARASSMENT IN THE MILITARY
SEXUAL HARASSMENT IN THE MILITARY
Over the past few years the military has experienced numerous complaints dealing with sexual harassment. The military has made it a priority to define sexual harassment, share some past experiences and to provide educational awareness classes on sexual harassment. In society today, men and women are becoming more enlisting into a variety of occupations within each branch of service. This being a new era in military history, I am going to provide you with some information about sexual harassment by defining sexual harassment, sharing some noted case studies and past experiences and lastly how and where to obtain more material to better educate our service members on sexual harassment.
Have you ever been sexually harassed? This question requires a yes or no answer. Do you know what sexual harassment is? Sexual harassment is unwelcome behavior of a sexual nature that makes someone fill uncomfortable or unwelcome in the work place by focusing on their gender instead of on their professional qualifications (Wyatt). It is very important to speak up and clearly say “NO!” Believe it or not, it is a fact that the harasser may not realize that their behavior is offensive. I will briefly discuss some case studies dealing with the military.
In the public eye for over period of years, the Commander and Chief President Bill Clinton was the nations top story dealing with sexual harassment. In May 1998, Former Sergeant Major of the Army Gene McKinney was accused of 18 counts of sexual harassment. He was acquitted of all counts and charged with one count of obstruction of justice. In another story Brigadier General Daniel Porr was accused of trying to kiss, make sexual advances toward, stroke, or talk suggestively to his subordinate. He was later accused of conspiring against her to strip her of her professional power (Feminist News). In July 1999, two Air Force Sergeants were charged with “unprofessional relationships” with female students. The incidents that occurred were, both men having sex, sexual relationships, groping and harassing the female students (Feminist News). United States Marines in Bogota, Columbia, January 1998, were charged with attacking a woman in an U.S. Embassy garage demanding that she...