9. The Problem With Talking About Sexual Assault as "Violence Against Women"

This article is about a topic that is rarely discussed: male victims of military sexual assault. The author talks about the investigator William Penn who interviewed various male victims and discovered that the military system sees these assaults as a problem to cover up instead of a crime to be punished. Some military brass have even been accused of illegally discharging victims of personality disorders, which allows them to get rid of the victim and means that they don't have to pay for the aftercare, since the "disorder" is a pre-existing condition. The victims that are able to get financed treatment also suffer, because the facilities focus mainly on women and many doctors are skeptical that male victims even exist. The group therapy offered put both men and women in the same group, making it awkward for both genders. The author talks about how there's a problem with talking about sexual assault as "violence against women" and how we should be addressing it as "violent acts of male domination." This cancels the view that rapists are merely men who got carried away with sexual excitement, when it is really more about domination and violence, not just sex. The author says that as soon as we see sexual assault as not just about sex, but about victimizing others to feel powerful, it will be easier to aid the victims, regardless of their genders.
The author of this article, Amanda Marcotte is very passionate about what she is writing. She uses a more complex vocabulary, indicating that this article is for older people. She uses various quotes from victims and provides various examples, which shows that she researched and knows what she is talking about. In her last paragraph, she explains the point of the article, about the wrong view that the world has about sexual assault and even adds how to change people's mindset and help victims.