From the military to rape victims: Don't call 911 or go to the hospital first...

[cynatnite]

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It's bad enough that they continue victim-blaming, but if you look at where it says to contact the sexual assault response coordinator, in big bold red letters it say "first".

The military will always get it wrong when it comes to dealing with rape victims from continuing to blame the victims to keeping the investigations within their chain of command. That's not counting the worst of it...not prosecuting the rapists.

Bastards!

[Pelican]

1. That's ridiculous...

You are just trying to find fault.

Do you know what that person does? What their role is? It doesn't say "Don't go the hospital" or "Keep it in your chain."

It says "Call this person with specialized training who will direct you towards all resources available to you"

[cynatnite]

3. It's easy to find fault when there is...

This does not take the investigation out of the chain of command. The military has refused to do that.

In the civilian world, if you are raped you call 911 or you go to a hospital. No one tells you to call a coordinator FIRST as this does.

If it weren't for that word, I probably would have let the entire thing go despite the fact that this poster blames the victim...something that the military continues to do.

I'm a vet and this issue is a personal one. I wasn't raped in the military, but I knew a lot of women who were. We also had to deal with the worst sexual harassment you can imagine.

That's because the men knew they could do it and get away with it.

So, if you support calling a fucking coordinator FIRST as opposed to going to the hospital or calling 911...go right ahead.

[TwilightGardener]

2. There's nothing wrong with any of that advice. It's ways to make yourself less vulnerable.

It's not victim-blaming. It's on a par with advising people to lock their windows at night and keep a light on while going on vacation to avoid being burglarized. As far as not calling 911, I don't think it suggests that--I think the advice is meant primarily to steer victims toward help. I don't think it's intended to deny them medical care. Reading too much into this, and not keeping in mind the special military circumstances here.

[cynatnite]

4. Sorry, I see it as a blame the victim poster and to not call 911 first.

What special military circumstance? I'm a vet. What makes getting raped in the military mean that you call a damn coordinator first?

[Tikki]

5. So do I...It should say..Go to the hospital and call the police. Have a police officer call...

this number to report.


Tikki

[haele]

6. The reason they say "first" is just as bad.

That is to ensure that if you get assaulted, you aren't caught in a command trap if your hierarchy doesn't want to deal with rape. It takes the reporting and handling of the act out of the immediate chain of command and into a seperate Personnel/JAG chain that isn't supposed to be pressured by the CO and doesn't have to play in that pool.
Notice it's an Air Force base - in a command where there's been a huge culture of - well - Focus on the Family types, who already believe women shouldn't be in the military, rape victims (even if they are small children) are "asking for it", and there's a horrible track record of higher-ups sweeping things under the rug because they don't see sexual harassment as a problem they should deal with.
I can easily see why this poster takes that tone. The Air Force can be just as bad (if not worse) than the Marines when it comes to pushing the machismo envelope.

The Navy does something similar in in a series of Anti-Excessive Drinking Campaign posters, but they do more of a "be aware and know your rights" presentation. They're in a three-part series of "Be aware of your Surroundings when you're out", "Don't be That (asshole/bully/predator) Guy, you can end up in jail" and "Watch your shipmate's back, we are a team that needs everyone" type posters. But there is no "call this number first" notification to victims.
Their "Sexual Harassment" posters are pretty much a list of the rules - basically, This is what it is; it's bad, don't do it, if you see it or experience it, report it.
(Bob Filner could have used a few of them put up in his office...)

Haele