Six months of Navy court-martial data shows that child pornography and sex crimes involving children rank with adult sex crime allegations as the most serious cases in the San Diego, California region. This week, the Navy released details of all significant trials between January and June 2013, the result of a new “transparency” initiative by the Secretary of the Navy. In the San Diego region, there were seven general courts-martial — the type of military trial reserved for the most severe crimes. All involved allegations of sex crimes. Two cases charged sexual assault against a child. Two involved child pornography. All four resulted in guilty verdicts. The sailors convicted got dishonorable discharges and jail sentences, the longest of which was 43 years. Navy-wide, there were 135 major trials of all kinds in the first six months of the year, according to the data released. Of those — which included both general and special courts martial — 28 involved charges of sexual assault, sexual harassment, indecent acts or similar behavior. Additionally, 17 alleged indecent acts involving children or possession of child porn. This revelation follows closely upon the June 13, 2013 order from the Secretary of the Navy Ray Mabus for the immediate removal of all offensive and degrading materials, including pornography, from all work spaces and from Navy exchanges where numerous pornographic magazines are sold. Regardless, more and more US military therapists and chaplains are reporting pornography use among personnel, skyrocketing abuse statistics up to 20% versus the national average of 1 in 10. The Department of Defense reports that females account for 14.5% of the armed forces personnel, and of these 207,308 service women, 1 in 3 will be sexually assaulted – a statistic that is twice the national average. One researcher noted: “We're seeing more soldiers who've done tours in Afghanistan and have used internet porn as a means of escape…until it becomes addictive, and is the only way you can escape from your problems.”
↧