Defense Secretary Ashton Carter told Georgetown University students today that dirty jokes are among the military behaviors that need to be corrected to stop sexual assault in the ranks.
“Our military is based on an ethos of honor, and this is dishonorable,” Carter said of the military’s sexual assault problem. “And second, we’re based on trust. We have to have trust. You have to trust in the soldier in the foxhole next to you. You have to trust in the sailor you’re underway with. You have to trust in the airmen on your wing. And you have to trust in the Marine on your flank. And these violations and these assaults are not just violations of the law, they are violations of that trust, which is essential to our mission.”
“Next, we, of course, have to put people in situations that are unlike any other. You serve all serve in a rigid chain of command, and for good reasons. You’ll likely be separated from your families for extended periods of time. And you’ll probably, at some point, live and work in austere conditions. Those types of environments are essential. But unfortunately, they present opportunities for predators to put our people at risk and compromise our missions and our values. And so, our institution has a particular reason to combat sexual assault.”
Carter cited the Pentagon’s 2014 estimates: at least 18,900 service members, including 10,400 men and 8,500 women, experienced “unwanted sexual contact.”
“Too few of them, particularly men, reported these incidents as assaults,” he said, adding that “prevention requires us not just to stop assaults, but also to stamp out permissive behaviors like tolerance for degrading language, inappropriate behavior, and sexual harassment that too often contribute to and lead to sexual assaults.”
“…One key to prevention is to understand that sexual assaults often occur in environments where crude and offensive behavior, unwanted sexual attention, coercion, and sexual harassment are tolerated, ignored, or condoned. These behaviors detract from our mission and put our people at risk, and you have to be a part of the solution.”
Carter challenged the students, which included ROTC cadets from Georgetown, the University of Maryland, Howard University, George Mason, and George Washington University, “to say ‘enough’…enough to dirty jokes, to excessive drinking, to hazing, to sexual advances, and to any suggestion that coercion is appropriate.”
“I need you to intervene when you think an assault may occur. And, if for some reason you’re concerned about taking action, I need you to get help… from a friend, law enforcement, a chaplain, or from a more senior officer. Sadly, for too many of those assaulted, the crime is made worse by how he or she is treated after the attack…after they’ve reported it,” he said.
“When victims are most vulnerable, their leadership and their fellow soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines need to stand by them in solidarity, not turn their back or turn away. We need those assaulted to have people they can count on. It may not be easy, but I need you to be one of them…in person and also online.”
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