Sexual Assaults in the Military

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said there were 3,191 reports of sexual assault in the military last year, but he said the number of a "very underreported crime" was likely closer to 19,000 incidents.

"Sexual assault has no place in this department," Panetta said. "It is an affront to the basic American values to defend, and it is a stain on the good honor of the great majority of our troops and our families."

"One sexual assault is one too many," he added.

Joyce Stevens wrote a "Women's Right Manifesto" for "National Organization for Women" in 1975....a long time ago. I want to share it with you here. I don't endorse "women loving women" or "abortion" or some of the languages used in her writing, but I do want you to feel the frustration and anger behind and between each line. They are real and still raw 37 years later.

Women’s Rights Manifesto
National Organization for Women

Joyce Stevens, written for Women's Liberation Broadsheet, International Woman's Day, 1975

Because of women’s work is never

done and is underpaid or unpaid or boring

or repetitious and we’re the first to get the sack

and what we look like is more important than what we do

and if we get raped it’s our fault and

if we get bashed we must have provoked it

and if we raise our voices we’re nagging bitches

and if we enjoy sex we’re nymphos and if we don’t

we’re frigid and if we love women

it is because we can’t get a “real” man and

if we ask our doctor too many questions we’re neurotic and/or pushy

and if we expect community care for children we’re selfish

and if we stand up for our right we’re aggressive and “unfeminine”

and if we don’t we’re typical weak females

and if we want to get married we’re out to trap men

and if we don’t we’re unnatural

and because we still can’t get an adequate safe contraceptive

but men can walk on the moon

and if we can’t cope or don’t want a pregnancy

we’re made to feel guilty about abortion and…….

for lots and lots of other reasons

We are part of the women’s liberation movement.