Say What?!?

Since we’re talking a lot about sexuality and rape this week, I thought I’d bring in some politics. With President’s Day and Flag Day quickly approaching, I am reminded of this great nation in which we live. Yes, we have our issues, but I am one of the most patriotic young people you might know. I have been raised in a military family: both my mother, father, and grandfather were in the Navy, my other grandfather was in the Army, and my sister is currently a midshipmen fourth class in the Marine Corps ROTC program at Ole Miss. Then, there’s this guy: 

His name is Richard (ironically, “Dick”) Black. I stumbled upon this article, which relates how he has talked about rape in the military and marital rape. He’s not been very politically correct to say the least. But first, a little background: From 1992 to 1994, Black served as the head of the Army’s Criminal Law Division, giving legal advice to military commanders regarding military justice, disciplinary, and adverse administrative matters. Following his stint in the military, Black, a member of the Republican party, secured a Virginian congressional seat in the House of Delegates and currently serves in the Virginia Senate. Recently, he announced his intention to run against Barbara Comstock for a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, following the retirement of incumbent Frank Wolf.

Upon his announcement to run in the House race, the media got to work on him, publishing pieces criticizing him for his controversial statements about rape and sexual abuse. As it relates to rape in the military, he spoke frequently to media outlets about sexual assault in the military, and called military rape 'as predictable as human nature.' 'Think of yourself at 25,' Black told a newspaper in 1996. 'Wouldn't you love to have a group of 19-year-old girls under your control, day in, day out?' Remember how I said he served as head of the Army’s Criminal Law Division? This means that for at least a two-year period in the U.S. Army, the man charged with advising commanders on sexual assault cases thought rape was just "human nature." Clearly, as Zerlina Maxwell passionately asserts on Hannity, “If [guns prevented rape], the military would be the safest place for women. And we know that’s not true.” In fact, According to a 2011 Newsweek report, women are more likely to be assaulted by a fellow soldier than killed in combat. Additionally, the Department of Defense estimates there are about 19,000 sexual assaults in the military per year but according to the latest Pentagon statistics (2013), only 1,108 troops filed for an investigation during the most recent yearly reporting period and during that period, only 575 cases were processed. Of those 575, only 96 went to court-martial. Much of the to-do around this topic focuses on the (un)likelihood of victims to report military sexual assault, most claims revolving around the power dynamic inherent in the military – that more senior officers can sexually assault women under their command with little worry of report because of his position of power. Indeed, an investigation found that only one in 5 females and one in 15 males in the United States Air Force would report having been sexually assaulted by service members. We’ve discussed Mackinnon’s views of sexuality as a power dynamic, and here the power dynamic is all the more real and official.

He also has some shocking things to say about marital rape:"I do not know how on Earth you could validly get a conviction of a husband-wife rape where they're living together, sleeping in the same bed, she's in a nightie, and so forth, there is no injury, there's no separation or anything." His comments suggest he's not sure what rape is. It might not be surprising, considering all of this, that he withdrew from the House race (click here), citing his desire to maintain partisan balance in the state Senate. We can only speculate if that is really the reason.

The military sexual assault is especially relevant for me for two reasons: 1) I plan to fund medical school through a military scholarship which requires 4 years of active duty service, making me as a woman in the military susceptible to this epidemic and 2) I plan to serve as a psychiatrist while serving in the military, and as such would  be faced with many patients suffering from PTSD as a result of rape/sexual assault. God Bless the U.S.A.!