Scores of women report cases of sexual misconduct

Sunday, August 20, 2006 An AP investigation found that victims were usually 16-18 years old. ASSOCIATED PRESS More than 100 young women who expressed interest in joining the military in the past year were preyed upon sexually by their recruiters. Women were raped on recruiting office couches, assaulted in government cars and groped en route to entrance exams. A six-month Associated Press investigation found that more than 80 military recruiters were disciplined last year for sexual misconduct with potential enlistees. The cases occurred across all branches of the military and in all regions of the country. At least 35 Army recruiters, 18 Marine Corps recruiters, 18 Navy recruiters and 12 Air Force recruiters were disciplined for sexual misconduct or other inappropriate behavior with potential enlistees in 2005, according to records obtained by the AP under dozens of Freedom of Information Act requests. That's significantly more than the handful of cases disclosed in the past decade. Other findings The AP also found: *The Army, which accounts for almost half of the military, has had 722 recruiters accused of rape and sexual misconduct since 1996. *Across all services, one out of 200 front-line recruiters — the ones who deal directly with young people — was disciplined for sexual misconduct last year. *Some cases of improper behavior involved romantic relationships, and sometimes those relationships were initiated by the women. *Most recruiters found guilty of sexual misconduct are disciplined administratively, facing a reduction in rank or forfeiture of pay; military and civilian prosecutions are rare. *The increase in sexual misconduct incidents is consistent with overall recruiter wrongdoing, which has increased from just over 400 cases in 2004 to 630 cases in 2005, according to a General Accounting Office report released this week. Pentagon response The Pentagon has committed more than $1.5 billion to recruiting efforts this year. Defense Department spokeswoman Lt. Col. Ellen Krenke insisted that each of the services takes the issue of sexual misconduct by recruiters "very seriously and has processes in place to identify and deal with those members who act inappropriately." In the Army, 53 recruiters were charged with misconduct last year. Recruiting spokesman S. Douglas Smith said the Army has put much energy into training its staff to avoid these problems. "To have 53 allegations in a year, while it is 53 more than we would want, is not indicative of the entire command of 8,000 recruiters," he said. The Associated Press generally does not name victims in sexual assault cases. For this story, the AP interviewed victims in their homes and perpetrators in jail, read police and court accounts of assaults and in one case portions of a victim's journal. Pattern A pattern emerged. The sexual misconduct almost always takes place in recruiting stations, recruiters' apartments or government vehicles. The victims are typically between 16 and 18 years old, and they usually are thinking about enlisting. They usually meet the recruiters at their high schools, but sometimes at malls or recruiting offices. Sometimes these incidents are indisputable, forcible rapes. Other sexual misconduct is more nuanced. Recruiters insist the victims were interested in them, and sometimes the victims agree. Sometimes they even dated. Anita Sanchez, director of communications at the Miles Foundation, a national advocacy group for victims of violence in the military, bristles at the idea that the enlistees, even if they flirt or ask to date recruiters, are willingly having sex with them. "You have a recruiter who can enable you to join the service or not join the service. That has life-changing implications for you as a high school student or college student," she said. All of the recruiters the AP spoke with said they were routinely alone in their offices and cars with girls. They also all agreed that the lines were clear: Recruiters do not sleep with enlistees. In Indiana, where National Guard recruiter Sgt. Eric Vetesy has been charged with 31 counts of rape, sexual battery, official misconduct and corrupt business influence, military officials have instituted a new "No One Alone" policy to prevent incidents. Apparently the first of its kind in the country, the male Army National Guard recruiters in Indiana cannot be alone in offices, cars, or anywhere else with a female enlistee. If they are, they risk immediate disciplinary action. Copyright 2006 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.