WASHINGTON: More than half of Air Force and Space Force personnel who responded to a survey said they had experienced some form of mental or physical abuse in the past two years, according to a report in workplace bullying and harassment. ranging from rape or murder. released on Tuesday,
Of the nearly 68,000 active duty personnel, reserves and civilians who responded to the survey, nearly two-thirds of women and 48% of men described incidents of what the Air Force called interpersonal violence. Most said they never reported it to commanders or law enforcement, and many of them assumed that nothing would be done about it.
The report is the latest in a series of Department of Defense and Service reviews outlining the problems of violence and harassment in the military. While it is difficult to compare rates among service members with civilian violence in the nation, senior military leaders say soldiers are held under high scrutiny.
Only 10% of all Air Force military and civilian personnel responded to the survey, so the total does not reflect the actual amount of violence. Since the dependents were not surveyed, that type of domestic abuse would not be covered.
Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall said the percentage of those reporting violence may have been higher because people who had experienced an incident were more likely to fill out the survey.
But, he adds, that if that’s all, it’s too much, and it’s a problem the Air Force must address.
“The numbers are so huge that we need to take this incredibly seriously and act on it,” he said.
Members of Congress have consistently complained about the military’s failure to adequately address the prevention and prosecution of violence, particularly sexual assault. The Air Force review was launched last year after several violent deaths, including the killing of an Army SPC. Vanessa Guillan, who had been missing for nearly two months in Fort Hood, Texas, was found late last June.
Speaking to reporters, Air Force leaders said they identified 81 harmful behaviors, ranging from lewd jokes and insults to espionage, stalking and more violent physical assault. And he said workplace bullying was the most common complaint.
Brigadier General April Vogel stated that incidents that would be considered less violent, emotional abuse was included because it proves that when low-level behavior that is inappropriate is allowed to flourish, it creates an environment Where there may be worse, more serious types of behavior.
The report also noted that most victims were not satisfied with the support or assistance they received, with commanders believing they had the resources and training to respond to any incident. This disconnect, Air Force leaders said, suggests an underlying leadership problem, where those in command are not understanding or recognizing issues that need to be addressed.
The Interpersonal Violence Task Force, established in 2020, concluded that support for victims at their home bases should be better coordinated and less confusing. And it recommended ways to make it easier for victims to get help and encourage increased reporting of incidents.
The Survey also noted that personnel want greater accountability, more acceptable leadership, and increased training and education. The IAF has also started a pilot program to expand legal services for the victims.
The Air Force on Tuesday also released additional findings from its gender and racial inequality reviews, concluding that black and other minority women are underrepresented in leadership and officer positions, especially at senior levels, and are underrepresented. The bar is promoted.
The review found that while women made gains in service and were well represented in some promotion categories, they often included white women. Specifically, it said that black women officers were promoted at lower rates than others, including less frequently than officers with less command experience.
As an example, minority women make up less than 1% of active duty pilots. The report also found that minority women officers had the most negative views on racism and prejudice, and were not confident that their commanders would address abusive behavior or comments.
The Air Force’s findings are the latest in a series of reports focusing on gender and racial bias in the service.
The first report, released last December, looked at inequalities for Black Service members. It concluded that Black Service members were more likely to be investigated, arrested, faced disciplinary action, and discharged for misconduct.
The second report included women, Asians, American Indian/Alaska Native, Native Hawaiian/other Pacific Islander and Hispanic/Latino personnel in active duty, National Guard, Reserve and civilian workforce. It found that nearly a third of female service members in the Air Force and Space Force say they have experienced sexual harassment and many can describe accounts of sexism and the stigma associated with pregnancy and maternity leave.
Disclaimer: This post has been self-published from the agency feed without modification and has not been reviewed by an editor
read all breaking news, breaking news And coronavirus news Here. follow us on Facebook, Twitter And Wire,