Air Force Trains Airmen on Sexual Harassment
The Stars and Stripes is reporting the theater show “Sex Signals,” a Catharsis Production, is touring Air Force bases in Japan with the goal of training Airmen on DoD sexual harassment policy. The goal is to use “improvisational comedy, education, and audience interaction to provide a provocative look at dating, sex, and the core issue of consent.” This audience interactive training allows the military members to input scenarios and questions to the actors about the awkward process of dating and what consent means.
Military Training to Prevent Rape
The Airmen get a chance to ask questions about the signals they receive from the opposite sex and whether or not those can be construed as consent to sex. This upfront discussion allows Airmen to talk about the policy and understand the military law’s definition of rape. Prevention of rape by teaching the concept of consent is aimed at preventing rape in the military and reducing the military members charged under the Uniform Code of Military Justice.
Consequences of Military Rape Conviction
Rape is a serious charge under military law and follows the federal guidelines. Rape is a sexual offense, legally punishable by death but most often accompanied by jail time. If a military member is convicted of rape, serves his sentence and is subsequently discharged from the military service with a bad conduct or dishonorable discharge, he must register as a sex offender in his community. Additionally, he is not eligible to vote, hold a government job, buy a firearm, upgrade his discharge, or receive VA benefits. The best defense is to not be in the position of being charged with Article 120, “Rape, Sexual Assault and Other Sexual Misconduct.” As the actors of Catharsis Productions tell the Airmen, “If the person you’re having sex with says, ‘Stop,’ you stop.”
Tags: Criminal, Rape Sex Assault Military Law UCMJ DoD Air Force Harassment
