During World War II, women's roles in the war appeared to have a good deal of importance. Although many of them couldn't fight, they still were encouraged to do things to support the troops while at home. Popular posters such as the one above were commonly seen and used to boost the moral of the women in America. Jobs, such as being phone operators, were vital to helping the troops fight the war. Some women gladly took on these roles, while others protested the fighting. Today, many women have taken a step further in supporting America and it's wars. Now, it is not uncommon at all for women to fight along side men in Iraq. Although many are proud of the women who are stepping up, we have to ask if this becomes a safety issue. Yes, these women are doing something great for their country, but MANY are facing the danger of being raped and harassed by their fellow soldiers. And what's worse is the fact that these rapes often go "unnoticed" often giving the impression to male soldiers that these cruel acts are ok. For quite some time news of these rapes and problems has been hardly covered or even reported at all. Recently the NY Times printed an article, "The Women's War," about women who face these horrific problems all due to the fact that they simply supporting the war and fighting for America.
Something needs to be done immediately for the women who are facing sexual abuse for trying to support a cause they believe in. They should not be faced with these problems under any circumstances. Just by looking at the picture of the woman from the NY Times article, it is clear to see she has a story to tell. The look on her face and the way she is standing almost says it all. This war on women should not be able to continue any longer.
copy and paste this link for more information on the NY Times article:
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/18/magazine/18cover.html
1 comment:
This is a great post addressing the issue of rape on the battlefield. This is not something I had even thought of until Mia read her essay in class the other day, but it is such a serious problem. You do a great job of stressing the need for action, and how these women are sacrificing their well-being only to be violated. You do a very good job of explaining the origin of women's roles in war and how those roles have evolved into what they are today, which under the circumstances brought up about rape, could really be seen as a step backward. Good post.
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