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AP Photo/Jeff Roberson
John Johnson, the father of Army Pfc.
LaVena Lynn Johnson, at the family’s
home in Florissant, Mo.
John Johnson, the father of Army Pfc.
LaVena Lynn Johnson, at the family’s
home in Florissant, Mo.
Is U.S. Military Covering Up Rape, Murder?
June 30, 2008 10:08 AM
The case of U.S. Army Private LaVena Johnson, who some say was raped and murdered in Iraq, highlights the possibility of a wide-ranging U.S. military cover-up.
30-Second Summary
Private LaVena Johnson, a 19-year-old U.S. Army private whose battered body was returned to the U.S. from Iraq in 2005, has raised suspicion of a military cover-up. Johnson’s death was ruled a suicide, but her injuries suggest rape and murder, according to her family.
Johnson’s death has brought a troubling issue to the fore: almost one in three U.S. military women are raped or sexually assaulted by their own comrades, according to U.S Department of Defense statistics.
The report found that the military often classifies murders preceded by rape as “non-combat related injuries.” Data that is “purposely underreported by the Veterans Administration” shows that, since 2002, most suicides by male soldiers have been committed on U.S. soil, whereas most “suicides” by female soldiers have been committed outside the U.S., in Iraq, Kuwait, and Bahrain.
“The circumstances surrounding each of these deaths warrants further investigation by the US military,” said the Web site Common Dreams.
Fear often prevents female soldiers from reporting rape, and not much has been done to increase safety measures for women serving in Iraq, according to Salon.
Johnson’s death has brought a troubling issue to the fore: almost one in three U.S. military women are raped or sexually assaulted by their own comrades, according to U.S Department of Defense statistics.
The report found that the military often classifies murders preceded by rape as “non-combat related injuries.” Data that is “purposely underreported by the Veterans Administration” shows that, since 2002, most suicides by male soldiers have been committed on U.S. soil, whereas most “suicides” by female soldiers have been committed outside the U.S., in Iraq, Kuwait, and Bahrain.
“The circumstances surrounding each of these deaths warrants further investigation by the US military,” said the Web site Common Dreams.
Fear often prevents female soldiers from reporting rape, and not much has been done to increase safety measures for women serving in Iraq, according to Salon.
Headline Links: Johnson’s case spurs suspicions
The New Zealand Herald surfaces the story of 19-year-old LaVena Johnson, a private in the U.S. Army who died in Iraq and whose body was flown home in 2005. Her death was ruled a suicide by the military, but Johnson’s family believes she was murdered, evidenced by a broken nose, loose teeth, and further bodily injuries in addition to a gunshot wound to the head. Johnson was likely raped, and her death has brought a troubling issue to the fore: almost one in three U.S. military women are raped or sexually assaulted by their own comrades.
Source: New Zealand Herald
The Web site Common Dreams reports on the Department of Defense statistics, which include many “non-combat related injuries” and reported suicides. The article questions whether there is an Army cover-up of rape and murder of female soldiers, and details Johnson’s case, as well as the case of 20-year-old Army Private Tina Priest, who was also raped and found dead.
Source: Common Dreams
Background: Danger in the military
As far back as 2003, reports of sexual misconduct, including rape, against women in the military began to surface. The numbers described an explosion of such incidents in the Central Command, which includes Iraq, Kuwait, and Afghanistan.
Source: The New York Times
According to a Salon article, despite greater numbers of women serving in Iraq, safety measures have not been taken in their defense. As soldiers are redeployed, and criminal and violent records of “more than one in 10 new Army recruits” are waived, the rape epidemic seems less surprising. Furthermore, according to the U.S. Bureau of Justice, fear prevents 59 percent of military rapes from being reported.
Source: Salon
Army Military News reported on the Defense Department’s 2007 “Report on Sexual Assault in the Military.” The report documented the response to a new military category of “restricted” reporting, which allows victims to get medical help and counseling while evidence is gathered without starting an investigation. Of 2,688 reported cases of sexual assault, nearly 2,000 were unrestricted, meaning the incident was reported to law enforcement authorities.
Source: Army Military News
Reference: Responses to the problem
The LaVena Johnson Petition is an independently maintained Web site urging Congress to begin a new investigation into her death. Read updates regarding the case and links to articles about Johnson.
Source: The PFC LaVena Johnson Petition
The U.S. Army Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Program focuses on awareness and prevention of sexual assault by providing training and education for soldiers, victim advocacy, response, reporting and accountability. The Web site was created in 2006.
Source: U.S. Army Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Program
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