Women are not just victims.... A Different Perspective on Rape in the U.S. Military

The piece written by Lt. Jessica Scott is for the PBS series regarding women in war. It touches on the fact that a woman's accomplishments in and contributions to the military are not defined by and large by victim-hood. Scott had a positive refection on her service and stated that "In the Army I serve, women and men are treated based on their performance and how they carry themselves." (This type of blame the victim mentality by is explained this study)She goes on to state that "The media claims that nearly one-third of service women have experienced sexual abuse. This percentage is certainly higher than anyone should find acceptable, but those who suffer abuse are still in the minority". She blames the media for a lack of positive stories regarding women in combat and ends her piece by saying "We are soldiers and spouses and sisters and mothers and wives and daughters. We are not just victims, bitches, sluts or dykes.To the mainstream media: please stop telling America that's all we are." Author Kelly Oliver refers to this assertion in her book "Women's Bodies as Weapons of War" as the virgin/whore dichotomy. Oliver, like Scott, believes that women have either been portrayed as virgins as in the case PFC. Jessica Lynch or whores as was the case for Lyndie England by the media during the war in Iraq. It is not just the media rallying around these accounts. It is the Pentagon who needed a hero or a scape goat to complete their own narratives. I cannot discount Scott's experiences however; she can only speak for herself in this matter as many other women have ones that differ greatly.