Rape

By definition, rape is nonconsensual sexual assault, typically involving sexual intercourse. Rape is one part of the U.S. Department of Defense’s formal definition, included in the 2009–2010 report, of sexual assault that reads as follows:

Military rape and sexual abuse can occur in several different settings. Often, rape and sexual abuse can occur between soldiers in the same branch of service either during education and training for combat or out in the field. Additionally, there is also the possibility of the rape initiated by individuals on different sides of a battle, wherein the conquering side rapes the victims of the losing side. The vast majority of military rape victims are women, though there has been a significant increase in male rape throughout the 20th century and into the present day. Though a largely unreported crime, victims of rape have made public feelings of fear, terror, humiliation, and violation of personal space.

Throughout history a rape narrative has formed, largely associated with war crimes and military tactics for thousands of years. Only in the past century has rape become recognized as systemic of warfare, a crime against humanity and classified as punishable. Under the Fourth Geneva Convention in 1949, wartime rape and other sex crimes became explicitly prohibited. This provision was upheld and reinforced by the amendment protocol additions adopted in 1977.

The Department of Veterans Affairs refers to the aftereffects of rape as military sexual trauma (MST), an all-encompassing term that refers to rape, sexual assault, or repeated sexual harassment that took place during the time of service. This broad term aims to include pressured sexual activities, a lack of consent, force, threats, offensive remarks, unwanted touching or grabbing, and unwelcome advances. Since the beginning of the Iraq War, the military has also come to recognize the presence of “command rape,” where a victim is promised protection in exchange for being open to sexual relations with a commanding officer.

The increased presence of rape in the military entered mainstream public knowledge in the United States slowly over the course of the 20th century. Always controversial, the topic has been sporadically discussed in media coverage, reports from [Page 1180]the Pentagon, documentary film, popular cultural portrayal, and legal proceedings. In the early 2000s, the U.S. military made further policy strides against sexual trauma instituting an official office to handle reported sexual assault and rape cases. This entry examines the statistics on rape, actions taken by the Department of Defense to address the problem of rape, legal ramifications, and portrayal of war rape and military sexual assault in the popular culture.