The “Invisible War” is a documentary that exposed sexual abuse in the military. The US military wasn’t naïve when it came to scandals and sexual allegations. The film was undeniably direct in its approach. It personified a male driven fraternal order motivated by a “Good ole boy” network. The military is an emblem of honor and integrity, but when it came to sexual abuse; hypocrisy was prevalent.
The documentary chronicled the lives of victims from different branches of the military. Each one gave a chilling account of their assault. It’s painful to watch at times because their testimonies were so emotional. The effects lingered deep within their personal lives. I recounted one of the victim’s stories. She was inspired to join the military because of her father. He explained to her that it was a unique brotherhood. He reassured her that she would be protected. One of her assailants was one of those whose duty it was to protect her. She goes on to add that other members in her group, not understanding the impact of her trauma, forced her and the attacker to work closely together on an exercise. She remembered saying, if she was near a cliff, she would have jumped. Some rapists are motivated by dominance and control over another human being. It is the feeling of euphoria received by manipulation. It is similar to playing God. The military has hidden these sociopathic tendencies in the name of tactical aggression. It cataloged a hierarchal structure within its walls. This is a form of oppression for individuals that go through the prolonged and unjust treatment. Within the confines of the hierarchal military structure, behaviors were seen as deviant or accepted.
Another victim’s during the movie was charged with the crime of adultery because her attacker was married. The military did nothing to press charges against the one who actually committed the rape. Author, Tracy Ore stated, “Males between the age of 21 and 40 years of age have a high degree of privilege in our society.”
The movie’s topic is so relevant because it brought awareness to sexual abuse. Our civilian society is aware of sexual assault. The legal system deals with offenders accordingly. The military justice systems have produced different results. Offenders that are prosecuted within the military are only a fraction of the reported cases. Out of those fractions, another portion is overturned by superiors. The Invisible War has actually made an impact on that policy. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta stopped allowing commanders and superiors who have no legal training or knowledge from reversing decisions made by military juries. As well, the promotion of a female general was put on hold due to sexual allegations and cover ups that happened on her watch. Unfortunately, sex crimes not only happen in the military but have been prevalent among society. In fact, “Obama expanded federal hate crimes legislation to cover gender and sexual orientation in 2009.”
We as citizens can take action in demanding change by signing a petition to incorporate training tools for the military, making a donation to the Artemis Rising Invisible War Program, bringing awareness to the community by hosting a screening of “Invisible War,” and getting involved in the “Rape should not be an “Occupational Hazard” conversation.
CONSTANCE JONES 