Waubonsee Community College

Rape in the ranks, by Pascale Bourgaux

eng

videorecording

For Adult audiences

Rape in the ranks

electronic resource

747798159

by Pascale Bourgaux

29

This hard-hitting film is the first to cover the shocking story of sexual harassment and rape of American women soldiers. The Pentagon has acknowledged receiving 3,000 reports of sexual mistreatment in one year alone. These female soldiers were not attacked by the Afghan or Iraqi "enemy," but by colleagues in their own platoons and sometimes by their own superior officers. Each year the number of reported sexual assaults has skyrocketed but not the number of convictions: only 2% of accused rapists are ever court-martialed. The double traumas of sexual persecution and combat may be why a 2008 RAND study found that female veterans are suffering twice as much depression and post-traumatic stress disorder as their male counterparts.Very few women have been willing to speak out, but four women, all in their twenties, and their families decided to talk openly about their ordeals. Unable to stand the nightmarish daily rapes by her commander in Iraq, Suzanne refused to report back for mission and was subsequently court-martialed. Jessica was raped in the U.S. and Korea and left the service, yet hopes to return and bring her attackers to justice. Stephanie has come to regret never reporting her own rape, hence perpetuating the law of silence. Tina, who was raped in Iraq, supposedly "killed herself" although her mother claims she was murdered. This film recounts the story of their pain, revolt and uphill battle for justice

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