Unsafe in the Camouflage Tower

Abstract

Few studies have examined sexual victimization among cadets and midshipmen at the three U.S. Military Academies. Self-report data from the 2005 Service Academy Sexual Assault Survey of Cadets and Midshipmen (n = 5,220) were used to examine the extent of unwanted sexual attention, sexual harassment, unwanted sexual contact, sexual coercion, and rape within the last academic year and their effects on cadets' and midshipmen's perceptions of their leadership's morality and intolerance for sexual victimization. About 60% of cadets and midshipmen experienced at least one type of sexual victimization and 25% reported that they had experienced polyvictimization (e.g., two or more types). Eighty-six percent of female and 42% of male cadets and midshipmen were sexually victimized. Those who were sexually victimized had significantly more negative views of their leadership's morality and intolerance for sexual victimization than nonvictims. Cadets and midshipmen who reported experiencing polyvictimization were more likely to perceive leadership as less moral and more tolerant of sexual victimization than those experiencing a single type. This pattern also was observed for gender-specific models; both male and female victims reported more negative perceptions of leadership. Implications concerning the effects of sexual victimization on military leadership are discussed.