Nobody likes to talk about rape.
That’s one of the reasons why it’s such an ongoing crisis in our country–it’s got that crippling stigma attached to it, and shame, and victim-blaming. Nowhere is that more pronounced than in our military.
I’m on the email list for director Kirby Dick and producer Amy Ziering, the creators of the outstanding documentary, “The Invisible War,” a film about the crisis of sexual assaults within the U.S. military. I’m interviewed in the film because of my work covering the issue, primarily the series I coauthored at the Denver Post called “Betrayal in the Ranks.”
Right now, the Invisible War team need your help.
The good news is, the New York Times has taken notice of this incredibly important issue by profiling the film in “Heroes, Villains and The Invisible,” written by Stephen Holden.
The article calls “The Invisible War” one of three festival films devoted to women’s rights,” and has said that “none of the films previewed matched the impact of “The Invisible War.”
The great news here is that the story is currently #16 on the NYT’s Most Popular List (Most Emailed and The Most Viewed, to be exact).
Let’s move that up. You can help show the media, and the public, and anyone else who is paying attention that these issues matter.
Go here and Share the article with a friend, Tweet and/or Post to Facebook: Heroes, Villains and the Invisible
Please HELP! Go to this link ( http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/15/movies/human-rights-watch-film-festival-at-lincoln-center.html) and
- EMAIL to a friend
- Share on Facebook
- Tweet – here’s a sample Tweet that you can also send without going to the article link:
- Heroes, Villains and the Invisible http://nyti.ms/MKZz3b#NotInvisible@Invisible_War gets due notice TKU @nytimesin theatres 6.22
- Heroes, Villains and the Invisible http://nyti.ms/MKZz3b#NotInvisible@Invisible_War gets due notice TKU @nytimesin theatres 6.22
Thanks very much,
Amy
Diary of a Predator 
When you think of a Predator or Military Sexual Trauma (MST) you think women being raped by men, but there were over 20,000 males raped in 2009 who have been raped too. When you think of Male who has Military Sexual Trauma (MST) you think male on male rape. I am a Survivor I have Military Sexual Trauma (MST) PTST and no male has ever touched me. I hope your book can talk about women Predators too.
It was my Supervisor during the week and she was a female. She was in a position that she used her higher rank and position to get what she wanted. Then the threats came in… but I reported it after it took the best of me. Once I reported it to the military they didn’t remove her or change her position. If the role was reversed I as a male would have been moved that day no questions asked. But she got to stay while they investigated it. If they ever did investigate it I still remember it like it was yesterday, step by step. I want to stop thinking and dreaming about it but it is hard when the person who violated you works at the Dallas VA Hospital where I go for medical care and have been since 2007.
I had her as a supervisor for another year and thoughts of suicide was in my head every time I came to work. She would harassment and embarrassed me in from of my peers. My doctor put me on 2mg bars of Xanax, 280 pills a month. Then I became an addicted to them. Today I still have to take something for my anxiety; because I see her every time I go to the Dallas VA Hospital for medical appointments.
When I came off active duty I didn’t leave my house for over two years which means no medication for my injuries and Military Sexual Trauma PTSD (MST) or my Combat Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. I was too scared to go to the Dallas VA to get treatment because I found out that she worked there. Yes, it had been over ten years and it still had a big impact on my life today.
Today I still cannot sleep, have anxiety, panic attacks, and broken relationship with my fiancée who I had dated over five years. I became a work alcoholic and buried myself in my work. I felt ashamed like I did something wrong. When I reported it not more than five minutes I received a phone call from both of our supervisor who started screaming at me as loud as she could over the phone.
Telling me I was a lair and why would I do this to her. This went on for over 30 minutes I broken down over the phone and told her that I was telling the truth but she didn’t believe me. Once I got off the phone I went and told the head person in charge of the hold battalion during the week days. She was also my First Sergeant on the weekends which means she was using her military rank as in uniform during the weekend and during the week days she was in civilian position. She was what they called dual status, reservist and civilian personnel.
I had never in my life taken pills. I was the Division Master Fitness Trainer. I was in excellent shape before I was transferred to this new unit because our other unit was deactivated. She was on me my first day there and I told her I was not interested. I kept my personal life away from my professional life. She would not take no for an answer and I didn’t know anyone in this unit or who I could trust or who would believe me. I mean come on a woman wants a man…most men would had jumped on it. That is what all the men kept telling me.
I had a perfect career and was on fast track up to this point. I was an E5 with 4 MSMs awards which this is unheard of in the military. When you hear of Military Sexual Trauma (MST) PTSD remember it’s not only females, or male on male rape. Women are part of this mess too and they will use their rank and position to get what they want. I will never forget the words she used…. I always get what I want.
I have been asking for Military Sexual Trauma MST treatment for male soldiers but they keep telling me I don’t qualified because mine was a female, not a male on male rape. I do not believe I would get any support for several years from the Dallas VA Hospital but they keep telling me do this first or take these pills. I have been given so many pills to take that I almost killed myself several times. This letter is in no disrespect to my fellow sister-in-arms back then and today, but I felt that my story needed to be told because I know it is still going on today.
Thank you for letting me share my story.
Richard and my Service Dog Military Millie