- Women serving in US military more likely to be raped by a fellow soldier than killed by enemy fire in Iraq– “Numbers reported by the Department of Defense show a sickening pattern. In 2006, 2,947 sexual assaults were reported — 73% more than in 2004.”
- Tanzania in witch doctor crackdown– This comes after 19 albino people were murdered last year in order to use their body parts in magic potions.
- US Muslims and Mormons share deepening ties– Does anyone else hear ominous music?
- Doomsday cultists are quitters– It looks like most of the Russian cult members have left the underground bunker, despite receiving no word from God on what to do.
- Buckeyballs of flavor– Comic relief. Mmm, donut water.
Anyone who has ever served in the military knows all about the higher rate of sexual assaults. When I served in Iraq a good friend of mine (female) was raped by a fellow soldier. The rapis was slapped on the wrist and the whole thing was quietly swept under the rug. This disgusts me every single day. I don’t know a solution to the problem, but obviously what the military is doing right now isn’t working.
A potential solution is to allow female soldiers to be armed at all times.
Well, the first step would be to actually, you know, punish rapists. We should also enact whatever measures it takes to ensure that gets done, including harsher penalties for covering this up and giving victims more opportunities to file complaints (particularly outside the military heirarchy, since that isn’t working).
(Sadly, I can’t seem to access the original article right now. I may have more comments when I can.)
Yeah, I learned something very early on in my military career… Despite some very wonderful individuals, as an institution, the military is a horrible, horrible group. I place the blame squarely on the horrible, horrible people who manage to get themselves in positions of power. It’s a lot like the Catholic church that way, I suppose.