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<p>You are right - in fact it has gone seriously underreported for many many years. Both at the academies and in the military in general. It has also gone underreported on college campuses too.</p>
<p>Until laws (The Clery Act - for one) were put into effect - the environment was often not conducive to allow women to report being assaulted. </p>
<p>This is was a big part of the investigation at the Air Force Academy. When women are not able to or choose not to report assault then the message of tolerance is sent and it becomes acceptable within the culture of the institution. Women are protrayed as “over-reacting”, “aggressive” while the men can’t keep their pants zipped. yeah - boys will be boys.</p>
<p>The major reason women are prevented from combat is for their own “safety” - our good, well meaning congressmen are under the impression that the American people would be horrified by the report of women soldiers being caught by the enemy and raped.<br>
The irony is that many of our women soldiers are sexually assaulted (raped) by their own male fellow soldiers - who needs protection from whom?</p>