Dempsey: Sex assault, combat ban on women linked

January 24, 2013 @ 11:39 am

WASHINGTON (AP) - The nation's top military officer says he believes the rise in sexual assaults in the military is linked to a longstanding ban on women serving in combat roles _ a ban the Pentagon is now eliminating.

Gen. Martin Dempsey is chairman of the Joint Chiefs. He said Thursday the assault problem is due partly to the military's separate classes of personnel -- male `warriors' versus the rest of the force, including women.

Dempsey says the sexual assault problem is more complicated than that, but he indicates the disparity between the roles of men and women in the military has created a psychology that lends itself to disrespect for women.

Treating the genders equally, he says, is more likely to lead people to treat each other equally.


(Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)
More National News
Top Stories

  • I-5 Bridge Collapse
    Three people were pulled from the water after I-5 bridge collapses over Skagit River

  • Ban Lifted
    Washington state leaders hail vote to allow openly gay Boy Scouts

  • There's a Zone for That
    Mapping out a plan for marijuana growers and sellers
MyNorthwest.com - Purpose of Comments statement
Bonneville Media encourages site users to express their opinions by posting comments. Our goal is to maintain a civil dialogue in which readers feel comfortable. At times, the comments can descend to personal attacks. Please do not engage in such behavior. We encourage your thoughtful comments which: have a positive and constructive tone, are on topic, are respectful toward others and their opinions. Bonneville reserves the right to remove comments which do not conform to these criteria.

Comments