NEWSLETTER # 2 : ON THE ROAD TO THE MIAMI SYMPOSIUM 2013

NEWSLETTER # 2                                                          April 27, 2013 …ON THE ROAD TO THE MIAMI SYMPOSIUM 2013… In the last publication we addressed the issues regarding pro-choice rights in the US. This time we will “target” the scandals and concerns that are shaking-up the integrity of the US Military and its ability  to be aware  or recognize the specificity of women's position in service. Recently, several women spoke up and have come together to denounce that they were raped and harassed in the military. How ironic that the US military is one the most dangerous places for women.Unbelievable, right?  Check this out:  Doing the math: “Active-duty female personnel make up roughly 14.5 percent -- or 207,308 members -- of the more than 1.4 million Armed Forces, according to the Department of Defense.” One in three military women has been sexually assaulted, compared to one in six civilian women, according to The Department of Defense. Based on statistics published by The Huffington Post, "a servicewoman was nearly 180 times more likely to have become a victim of military sexual assault (MSA) in the past year than to have died while deployed during the last 11 years of combat in Iraq and Afghanistan.” Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/10/06/military-sexual-assault-defense-department_n_1834196.html Even worse!! In recent days USA Today made reference to this issue, indicating that “the sexual abuse rates appear to be significantly higher than similar survey findings from the 2008”… “The survey results, combined with other recent research, ‘shows sexual assault is a persistent problem in the military,’ said Army Maj. Gen. Gary Patton, director of the Pentagon's sexual assault prevention office.” We invite you to read the entire article at http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/04/22/women-military-sexual-assault/2103075/ In this sense The Rolling Stone, in its issue of February 14, 2013 presented a polemic case that evidenced the seriousness of this problem. Sabrina Rubin Erdely in her article  The Rape of Petty of Officer Blumer, stated that “Of the sliver sexual assaults reported last year, 92 % never saw the inside of a courtroom but rather were dismissed or administered wrist-slap penalties like fines.” This is one case among many of assault on women in the military that have ended in nothing other than an anecdote in a military sexual-assault report (3.192 reports last year).                                Despite the horror of the huge amount of women claiming sexual assault in the military, a report from  GAO (Government Accountability Office) affirmed that the Department of Defense (DOD) “has taken steps  to provide medical and mental health care to victims of sexual assault, but several factors affect the availability of care. For example”… “military health care providers do not have a consistent understanding of their responsibilities in caring for sexual assault victims because the department has not established guidance for the treatment of injuries stemming from sexual assault.”  Read more about this on the following link: http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-13-182 How it is possible that “military health care providers do not have a consistent understanding of their responsibilities in caring for sexual assault victims” with an estimate of 19,000 cases and 3.192 reports of sexual assault? And they are still not prepared? What are they waiting for?! Don’t miss the next issue: We’ll discuss the payment inequality between men and women even when this issue was addressed by the National War Labor Board during World War II recommending to pay male and female workers equal wages. The Equal Payment ACT (EPA) was passed in 1963… Despite all of these efforts … It’s 2013 and still fighting for it! Encore… A treat: Recently, Julia Pierson was sworn in as the First-Ever Female Director of the US Secret Service!! (Retrieved from http://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2013/03/27/julia-pierson-sworn-first-ever-female-director-us-secret-service) Editors:  Juan Felipe Arango and Isolda Arango-Alvarez