Former Cadet Says She Was Raped in Retaliation for Reporting Crime

[NNN0LHI]

http://ap.tbo.com/ap/breaking/MGAEZ1ST8KD.html

WASHINGTON (AP) - In a letter to a congressional panel investigating sexual assaults at the Air Force Academy, a former cadet paints a vivid portrait of the retaliation that can occur for reporting a crime there.

The academy graduate, whose name was not released, said she was ostracized by cadets and raped at the Air Force Preparatory School by two male cadets because she reported a rape of another cadet.

Members of the panel on Friday said the incident is typical of those that have created a climate of fear at the institution.

"The retaliation can be as high as physical threats, violence, actual violence taken against the cadets," said Laura Miller, a member of the congressional panel investigating the academy. The panel would not release the letter.

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[Vikingking66]

1. That's Sick as Hell

What in god's name is wrong with these air force cadets?
These rapes are far beyond any normal pattern of criminal
activity; they're endemic. And the idea that a woman would
be *raped* in retaliation for informing is pure evil.

This needed to be stopped a long time ago.

[MissMarple]

2. It's not all the cadets, but the few bad apples ....

I think we expect no rapes, drunkeness, or abusive behavior from our academies. Given the high standards and the way most of the cadets enter the academies (through senatorial recommendations), I think the incidence should be much less than our "elite" universities like Yale and Harvard, etc.. While statistically that may be the case, what happened at the Air Force Academy is still inexcusable. It lays a shadow on the character of every graduate since women were admitted to the academy.

There had to be a climate demanding compliance from all the cadets, men as well as women. Personally, I don't think the intimidation and violence was directed just towards women. Part of the problem was having the foxes in charge of the henhouse. Senior cadets should not have been given authority over the younger cadets. Adults, officers or otherwise should be in the dorms at all times. A retired marine friend of mine was shocked that the older (not wiser) cadets hold such power over the junior ones.

Supervision is key. I was a personel assistant(resident assistant) in a college dorm my senior year when only seniors could have front door keys, and curfew was enforced, rooms could be checked by the head resident, and it was very difficult to have the conditions that exist in today's coed dorms. Because of the openess, it was hard to do surreptitious things. It was even difficult to bully anyone. And since the PA's weren't of the military persuasion, and more the motherly, responsible type, that eliminated a lot of problems. This obviously was not going on at the academy.

Hopefully, they will get this straightended out.

And, I am not recommending a return to the dorms of the 50' and 60's, except, perhaps, as one of the choices available to incoming students.

[benfranklin1776]

3. Agreed. Its nauseating.

What's worse in my book is that this has not generated a national outrage and a rapid public procession of heads rolling of the officers that covered these things up and who did not stamp out this wanton sexual predation by a few criminal elements like the cancerous plague that it is.

Also of note from the article:

"Cadet surveys have consistently shown that 20 percent of male cadets believe that women do not belong there. This number rose to 27 percent in 2002."

TIME TO GET SOME CADETS' HEADS OUT of THEIR NEANDERTHAL ASSES. IT is the TWENTY FIRST CENTURY. WOMEN ARE OFFICERS IN THE AIR FORCE AND DAMN GOOD AT THEIR JOBS. IF YOU DONT THINK WOMEN BELONG IN THE ACADEMY, THEN YOU DON'T BELONG IN THE ACADEMY OR THE AIR FORCE OR MODERN CIVILIZATION PLEBEBRAINS!

[pw]

4. Any male cadet who thinks women don't belong

Doesn't belong in the academy. If you're signing on to a military institution, you're signing on to its basic policies, and if you can't do that, you should get out.

[MaineDem]

5. Totally appalling

I expect more from our future military leaders. And the current ones who have allowed this to go on.

I know many people don't think it's a big issue but it is!

[NNN0LHI]

6. I think you know I am not one of the people who do not think...

...its a big issue. I am very hesitant about posting anything on LBN that is not detrimental to Little boots. Though he is not responsible for this kind of stuff, I still post these stories knowing it may knock a story off the front page that is bad for Bush. Stronger people taking advantage of someone who is weaker drives me out of my mind for some reason. I think it may be the way my parents raised me? And I did pass those feelings on to my kids every chance I had while they grew up too. I still do every chance I have, even though they are adults now.

Don

[MaineDem]

7. I certainly didn't mean you

I'm so sorry if it came across that way.

In fact, I didn't mean anyone in particular. Just those "they came to a male school; they knew what they were in for" types.