Women in the military is now more widely accepted as a societal norm, but dangers they face are unacceptable
We are constantly bombarded with information about the war in Iraq, with stories about the justifications for American involvement, tactical mistakes and the treatment of wounded soldiers persistently dominating the headlines. Yet comparatively little has been reported about the increased role of women in military operations.
Over 206,000 women have served in the Middle East since March 2003, most of them in Iraq. Some 600 have been wounded and 104 have died; more than in any war since World War II. However, the achievements of women are not recognised in the same way as those of men. Army specialist Mickiela Montoya served in Iraq for 11 months from 2005-6 and feels that her service has not been appreciated. “I was a gunner!” she says, “but when I say I was in the war, nobody listens. Nobody believes I was a soldier. And you know why? Because I’m a female.”
The military is famed for its traditional and deep-seated hostility towards women and female soldiers often have to suffer resentment and degradation at the hands of their male counterparts. Chantelle Henneberry served in Iraq from 2005-6 and was the only woman in a platoon of 60 men. “Because I was the only female, men would forget and say these terrible derogatory things about women all the time,” she recalls. “A lot of the men didn’t want us there. One guy told me the military sends women soldiers over to give the guys eye-candy to keep them sane.” This antagonism leads to isolation for female soldiers, depriving them of the camaraderie that every soldier depends on for survival and comfort.
But it goes much further than a lack of respect. According to Helen Benedict, the author of The Lonely Soldier: The Private War of Women Serving in Iraq, twenty eight out of the forty women she interviewed had been sexually harassed, assaulted or raped while serving. And they were not exceptions. According to several studies of the US military 30% of military women are raped while serving, 71% are sexually assaulted, and 90% are sexually harassed. Mickiela Montoya recounts: “I was less scared of the mortar rounds that came in every day than I was of the men who shared my food. I ended up waging my own war against an enemy dressed in the same uniform as mine.”
To make the problem worse, many female soldiers feel too intimidated to report assaults and the Pentagon estimates that no more than 20% of attacks are actually reported. What’s more, when complaints are made, they are not taken seriously. Force Sergeant Marti Ribeiro, who was assaulted by a fellow serviceman while on duty in Afghanistan in 2006, explains: “The military has a way of making females believe they brought this upon themselves. There’s an unwritten code of silence when it comes to sexual assault in the military.”
Women should not have to face this sexual persecution. It is ridiculous that female soldiers serving in the US military are more likely to be raped by a fellow soldier than killed by enemy fire in Iraq. The military needs to wipe out its misogynistic attitude and deal fairly with reports of assault. Male soldiers should learn to respect their female counterparts achievements and should recognised them as equals.
Liz Day
