Does Sexual Harassment Still Exist in the Military for Women, Even in the Nineties?

        Yes, the military does have sexual harassment and discrimination against women in

the nineties. "Firestone and co-researcher Richard J. Hurns analyzed a 1988 DOD Survey

of men and women in the military and found that 51.8 % of men and 74.6% of women

reported either experiencing or knowing of sexual harassment. Amoung the women

surveyed, 70.1% had experienced "sexual talk or behavior at the work place [that] created

an offensive, hostile or intimidating environment." Amoung the men, 36.9% gave the

same answer."(1) The percent of women being sexually harassed is much higher than the

percent of men being harassed. Even though it is not tolerated, it still happens regardless

of the consequences, even in the nineties.

        While some women's experiences have been similar to those of black men, their

integration into the military has also differed in several ways. Because of our society's

fundamental belief that protecting the home and going to war are a man's work, men from

minority groups have often been accepted more readily in the military than the women.

Women have been viewed as outsiders in a male environment. Discrimination and

harassment occurs for women because we are entering an all male dominated area. Some

areas are still restricted because of it. For example: serving in direct combat capacities

such as armor, infantry, and special forces--branches from which much of the senior

leadership is drawn. "In 1994, the annual Navywide Personnel Survey included questions

on women's role for the first time. Some 65 percent of officers and almost 50 percent of

enlisted respondents said they did not think women were fully accepted in combat roles.

While approximately 80 percent said harassment was not tolerated at their command,

almost half of all respondents disagreed that everyone is treated equally in promotions and

advancements."(2) Some of this is...