Sexual Assault & Sexual Misconduct in the CF

[daftandbarmy]

Some people were asking what the various elements are doing for OPERATION Honour. For the RCN during WUP's there is scenario based training given to the ships company and Command teams by Sea Training based on a "incident" that happened on board. This is to prepare the ships Company and Command team's to handle the situation in a respectful manner and strategies to prevent such behavior.

I assume it involves a charge parade at some point?

 

[mariomike]

I assume it involves a charge parade at some point?

"March the Guilty Bastard In" ?

 

[daftandbarmy]

"March the Guilty ******* In" ?

 

[Eye In The Sky]

Just for the sake of being pedantic and showing up a lawyer D), beyond a reasonable doubt applies to provincial/territorial offences too in all instances I've seen.

For CAF members facing being released after pleading to a lower charge,  balance of probability is what they are likely to face though.  Ref CF Military Administrative Law Manual, unless it's changed drastically in the past few years.

 

[PuckChaser]

Price tag for being sexually assaulted? $1B CAD.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/military-misconduct-lawsuits-1.3893499 (more on link)

Sexual-misconduct lawsuit against Armed Forces alleges 'reckless' conduct
3 former military members spell out allegations of sexual assault and institutional indifference

By Murray Brewster, CBC News Posted: Dec 12, 2016 8:27 PM ET Last Updated: Dec 13, 2016 7:25 AM ET

One of the class-action lawsuits filed against the Canadian military by former members and alleged victims of sexual misconduct claims that the Armed Forces were negligent in controlling the behaviour of some its members.

A statement of claim in a case involving three former members of the Forces was filed Monday in Ontario Superior Court. It says some of the complainants were actively discouraged from reporting incidents.

The plaintiffs — Nadine Schultz-Nielsen, Larry Beattie and Amy Graham — filed the claim on behalf of all former and current members of the military alleging sexual assault, sexual harassment and abuse of authority. They are also suing on behalf of family members who may have suffered as a result of a loved one's trauma.

"The conduct of [Canadian Armed Forces] members was reckless, arrogant, high-handed and abusive, and showed a callous disregard for the rights of the plaintiffs and class members," said the court filing, obtained by CBC News. "This conduct is reprehensible and deserves punishment."

The suit is asking for $1 billion in damages (those who file a suit can attach any price tag they choose).

 

[armyvern]

Price tag for being sexually assaulted? $1B CAD.

http://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/military-misconduct-lawsuits-1.3893499 (more on link)

Apparently, it's 1B CAD for simply alleging (ie: not proven, no charges required etc) as per your article (emphasis mine) so the "march the guilty bastards in" is seemingly fit.  Oh, the pendulum doth swing high.

on behalf of all former and current members of the military alleging sexual assault, sexual harassment and abuse of authority

 

[beachdown]

...from the same article linked above

The suit is asking for $1 billion in damages (those who file a suit can attach any price tag they choose)

 

[Lightguns]

Again it is a class action suit in civil law alleging that the organization has a pattern of failure in it's duty of care to declared victims of certain crimes.  It's not trying to validate each and every allegation ever filed.  Suffice it proves in a balance of probabilities that filed allegations were poorly handled.  I, seriously doubt anyone without some proof of their allegations will be certified in the suit.  The folks I know who signed on to the other suit have either proved their allegations in a court and are seeking redress for emotional/mental issues resulting from their assault or have an excellent paper trail to show their allegations may have been mis-handled. 

Going off on the "March the Guilty XXX in" routine is meaningless.  Even if the suit is found to have merit, no one Perp has anything to fear from the past or the present and not one innocent will be found guilty because of the suit. 

 

[OldSolduer]

As I feared, it will turn into a Spanish Inquisition and not the Monty Python variety.

All of us could at one time or another point out a person who has abused their authority on us, we've probably done it a few times ourselves.

 

[Journeyman]

.... not one innocent will be found guilty because of the suit.

In a purely legal sense, you're probably correct. 

However, it adds to the growing stigma that CAF males (predominantly), especially those in positions of authority, are rampantly running amok sexually abusing military women. 

It's the identical toxin as Black Lives Matter.  Actual statistics of police shootings are irrelevant -- officer colour, situation in which shootings occurred, blacks shot in non-police context, etc -- not remotely part of the narrative; a growing segment of society, having this continually bleated at them, begins to feel that 'there must  be something to this otherwise we wouldn't keep hearing about it,' and the mindset that the majority of police are  racist murderers becomes established.

I have no doubt that some military personnel have abused and been abused, just like I presume that some police are racist and have pulled the trigger when it may not have been warranted.  For the remainder -- and I believe it's the overwhelming majority of us -- it's a pretty broad brush that you're dismissing as no big deal.

 

[PuckChaser]

In a purely legal sense, you're probably correct. 

However, it adds to the growing stigma that CAF males (predominantly), especially those in positions of authority, are rampantly running amok sexually abusing military women. 

It's the identical toxin as Black Lives Matter.  Actual statistics of police shootings are irrelevant -- officer colour, situation in which shootings occurred, blacks shot in non-police context, etc -- not remotely part of the narrative; a growing segment of society, having this continually bleated at them, begins to feel that 'there must  be something to this otherwise we wouldn't keep hearing about it,' and the mindset that the majority of police are  racist murderers becomes established.

I have no doubt that some military personnel have abused and been abused, just like I presume that some police are racist and have pulled the trigger when it may not have been warranted.  For the remainder -- and I believe it's the overwhelming majority of us -- it's a pretty broad brush that you're dismissing as no big deal.

:goodpost:

 

[beachdown]

You make very rational and valid points below, and not many people actually like to believe that there are racist cops out there (here in Canada). The argument is always..this is a US centric behaviour and that cops in Canada are well trained and intelligent.

In a purely legal sense, you're probably correct. 

However, it adds to the growing stigma that CAF males (predominantly), especially those in positions of authority, are rampantly running amok sexually abusing military women. 

It's the identical toxin as Black Lives Matter.  Actual statistics of police shootings are irrelevant -- officer colour, situation in which shootings occurred, blacks shot in non-police context, etc -- not remotely part of the narrative; a growing segment of society, having this continually bleated at them, begins to feel that 'there must  be something to this otherwise we wouldn't keep hearing about it,' and the mindset that the majority of police are  racist murderers becomes established.

I have no doubt that some military personnel have abused and been abused, just like I presume that some police are racist and have pulled the trigger when it may not have been warranted.  For the remainder -- and I believe it's the overwhelming majority of us -- it's a pretty broad brush that you're dismissing as no big deal.

 

[FJAG]

You make very rational and valid points below, and not many people actually like to believe that there are racist cops out there (here in Canada). The argument is always..this is a US centric behaviour and that cops in Canada are well trained and intelligent.

Every one of us is a product of the environment within which we grew up. There is no doubt in my mind that there are some cops out there that have negative attitudes about various issues (racism, homosexuality etc). It's hard to get rid of these attitudes when certain religious groups (which we protect under the Charter) consider it their God-given right (literally) to discriminate.

What galls me more than anything else is how cavalierly many in our society throw out the term "racist" against white people in general or any group in particular. We are constantly accused of being systemically racist and many actions are automatically branded racist when in fact there may very well be an innocent explanation for the event. The corollary these days seems to be that minorities are considered, by default, not racist when in fact they often tend to paint the general white society with a tar brush.

Personally I think we are doing a fairly good job in all of our institutions to eliminate prejudice and anti-social behaviour when and where it is found. I wish that the press and society in general would be critical and outspoken about unfair and unsubstantiated "racist" and other branding of our institutions and their workers. Regretfully in-depth investigative journalism has lost out to shallow sensationalism.

By the way, the vast majority of cops are well trained and intelligent as well as dedicated to protecting and serving every one of our citizens.

:subbies:

 

[mariomike]

Personally I think we are doing a fairly good job in all of our institutions to eliminate prejudice and anti-social behaviour when and where it is found.

I worked for an institution that had zero gender or minority diversity when I joined. I didn't do the hiring. That's just the way it was back then.

Prejudice? Lots of it. Especially among the older men. But, it was kept in the stations.
Anti-social behavior? Not ever. Never!  ( Inside the stations was a different story. Saw a guy struck across the face with a wooden chair arguing about a hockey game on TV, and a few other things. )

We never, ever took our frustrations, whatever they were, out on the neighbourhood. Certainly not inside people's homes. In fact, it was quite the opposite.
Anyone who did got fired. Union or no union. There was no sensitivity training.

By the way, the vast majority of cops are well trained and intelligent as well as dedicated to protecting and serving every one of our citizens.

Welcome to Toronto!

 

[Oldgateboatdriver]

Anti-social behavior? Not ever. Never!  ( Inside the stations was a different story. Saw a guy struck across the face with a wooden chair arguing about a hockey game on TV, and a few other things. )

That's not anti-social: That's a pretty run of the mill Canadiens vs Bruins hockey game meet around here.  [

 

[dapaterson]

The Army has posted a link to Jackson Katz' speech on "Violence against women - it's a men's issue".

Army page: http://www.army-armee.forces.gc.ca/en/news-publications/western-news-details-secondary-menu.page?doc=canadian-army-using-bystander-training-from-ted-talk-in-support-of-operation-honour/iw7nt9c3

TEDtalk by Jackson Katz: https://www.ted.com/talks/jackson_katz_violence_against_women_it_s_a_men_s_issue?language=en

 

[beachdown]

Why then when there is a blatant racist attack/behaviour on a minority group, don't majority of White people speak out in support of the minority group that is being wronged? Don't you think if we adopt the attitude of ' we won't tolerate this behaviour', that we might start to see changes?

People jump on the case of Black lives matter folks, but I honestly think if the majority i.e. Whites join in with the cause, then society as a whole might just change its attitude towards all groups e.g. LGBT and other minorities

Every one of us is a product of the environment within which we grew up. There is no doubt in my mind that there are some cops out there that have negative attitudes about various issues (racism, homosexuality etc). It's hard to get rid of these attitudes when certain religious groups (which we protect under the Charter) consider it their God-given right (literally) to discriminate.

What galls me more than anything else is how cavalierly many in our society throw out the term "racist" against white people in general or any group in particular. We are constantly accused of being systemically racist and many actions are automatically branded racist when in fact there may very well be an innocent explanation for the event. The corollary these days seems to be that minorities are considered, by default, not racist when in fact they often tend to paint the general white society with a tar brush.

Personally I think we are doing a fairly good job in all of our institutions to eliminate prejudice and anti-social behaviour when and where it is found. I wish that the press and society in general would be critical and outspoken about unfair and unsubstantiated "racist" and other branding of our institutions and their workers. Regretfully in-depth investigative journalism has lost out to shallow sensationalism.

By the way, the vast majority of cops are well trained and intelligent as well as dedicated to protecting and serving every one of our citizens.

:subbies:

 

[Jarnhamar]

[quote author=beachdown]

People jump on the case of Black lives matter folks, but I honestly think if the majority i.e. Whites join in with the cause, then society as a whole might just change its attitude towards all groups e.g. LGBT and other minorities
[/quote]

Do you know what happens when whites try to "stand in solidarity" with groups like IdleNoMore and BlackLivesMatter? The whites get told to STFU and know their place because they're still racist pieces of shit that are responsible for everything.

 

[Infanteer]

People jump on the case of Black lives matter folks, but I honestly think if the majority i.e. Whites join in with the cause, then society as a whole might just change its attitude towards all groups e.g. LGBT and other minorities

You mean like this?

http://thefederalist.com/2016/06/30/black-lives-matter-torches-justin-timberlake-demonstrating-their-selfish-ineptitude/

 

[beachdown]

You mean this happens all the time?

Do you know what happens when whites try to "stand in solidarity" with groups like IdleNoMore and BlackLivesMatter? The whites get told to STFU and know their place because they're still racist pieces of crap that are responsible for everything.