The Case of Spc. Suzanne Swift: A Gendered Approach to Organizing Against Rape in the Military

author : Caitlin Esworthy topic : Fort Lewis | Iraq occupation | Suzanne Swift

by Caitlin Esworthy

In January of 2005, the date of her redeployment to Iraq, Military Police Specialist Suzanne Swift went Absent Without Leave (AWOL). She had endured (in addition to the 'normal' traumas of service) sexual harassment in Kuwait at the hands of her platoon sergeant and subsequent command rape, public humiliation and harassment by her squad leader in Iraq.

The medical consequences of her experience have been grave. She was diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder related to sexual abuse by a personal therapist in Oregon, but the military's health professionals did not confirm the diagnosis in its entirety. She is currently working at Fort Lewis but remains in a delicate situation. After being reassigned (thankfully away from her assailant) she is still dealing with the backlash of going public with her accusations. Due to the stigma attached to victims of sexual assault and the publicity of her case, those around her at times don't speak with Swift for fear of being accused of sexual harassment. In September, after withholding the results of their investigation for over two months, the army formally charged Suzanne with "missing movement" and Absence Without Leave.

With public support for the war in Iraq waning on a massive level, Suzanne Swift's continually unfolding case has received significant attention from the press. Sexual assault and rape within the armed forces add further dimensions to the already violent history of the US occupation. Swift's refusal to deploy and her bravery in making her case public has inspired anti-war activists and other victims of sexual violence in the armed services across the country. Her stand has provided a face for the statistics of rape in the military and brought forth into the consciousness of many the reality of women service members.

Suzanne's case brings attention to one of the realities of war that is often not discussed: rape. Rape, sexual violence, and the eroticization of violence have long been a part of how war is executed. By speaking out against sexual violence, Suzanne is speaking out against one of the tenets of war and therefore working to expose and dismantle war itself.

Although we hear very little about sexual assault and abuse in the military, it is tragically a common occurrence. A 2003 Denver Post article stated that, "Nearly one-third of the women in the military have reported a rape or attempted rape, compared with 18 percent in the civilian world. Yet during the past decade, twice as many accused sex offenders in the Army were given administrative punishments as were court-martialed."

The lack of effective prosecution for sex offenders is connected with systemic problems for women regarding bureaucratic procedures, confidentiality, and access to systems of justice within the military. In society at large, we are all victims of 'a culture of silence' surrounding sexual assault, but the armed forces also suffer from a heightened 'culture of violence.' "Sexual assault is the most underreported violent crime in America, and that's going to be true in the military as well," according to Pentagon spokesman Roger Kaplan. Silence isn't the only factor in the systemic deficiencies in justice for sexual assault victims; recruiters often turn a blind eye to warning signs.

Commanding and superior officers often reinforce the prevalence of sexual assault. According to a study conducted by University of Iowa researchers and Iowa City Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC) "Our findings suggest that if sexual harassment is allowed in the workplace, women in those environments have a significantly increased risk of being raped." The results were consistent in all areas of service to be about a four-fold risk of rape for women whose superiors made sexually demeaning comments or allowed such behavior.

Suzanne was a victim of both sexual harassment and command rape. In an interview Suzanne details that sexual remarks are simply a part of military life. She makes it clear that difference in rank changes the situation, especially in a combat zone where your assailant is making life and death decisions. "The other soldiers don't have power over you," she said.

As an institution, the military is integrally reliant on a violent construction of masculinity. This begs the question: where do women fit into the social relations and power structures within the military? The military is dependent on exploiting and promoting violent sexuality and sex as conquest. From the "shock and awe" bombing of Baghdad to the fact that the U.S. Air Force now " . . . admits showing films of violent pornography to pilots before they fly bombing raids." It is contradictory to have this type of violent sexuality prevalent and expect rape to not play a significant role, especially in the lives of women in the armed forces.

The organizing and campaigning around Suzanne's case has fluctuated in intensity, but has been marked by a few minor debates in the region which highlight some key issues that need to be recognized.

Some conflicts were brought up surrounding the creation of 'Camp Suzanne' situated outside of Fort Lewis, an attempt to replicate Camp Casey in Crawford, Texas -- a campaign that was one of the more prominent actions by the peace movement during the Iraq war. Preparation, outreach, and dialogue were lacking prior to the beginning of Camp Suzanne. Other activists cited conflicting times with another campaign, lack of pragmatic support due to short notice, and unwillingness to delay other issues during the campaign. Conceptually, the idea received a great deal of support by the larger peace movement as well as Suzanne, Sara Rich (Suzanne's mother), Cindy Sheehan, and was endorsed by Ani DiFranco and groups such as Veterans For Peace (local and national).

However well-intentioned, the language initially used by organizers belied a naiveté at the systemic nature of sexism and strong-armed approach that doesn't always work when you are dealing with issues of sexual violence.

Another question brought up around Suzanne's case and organizing support was whether or not she qualified as a war resister.

Because her legal case was based on military justice and she did not go AWOL as a statement against the war or to achieve Conscientious Objector status, some do not consider Swift to technically be a war resister. This point, although accurate at a certain level, neglects the important fact that her message has become increasingly more anti-war and more radical as her trauma is extended by her continued service and lack of justice on her case. It is important to be mindful of what was clearly a hierarchy of needs for Suzanne. Knowing that she would be placed back under the command of the same officer that had abused her, an anti-war message was probably not seen in her mind as the most effective strategy. It also important to be mindful of the discrepancy between what one might imagine a war resister to look like and the reality of the armed forces today.

Camp Suzanne was gaining noticeable support by the end from motorists once commuters entering and leaving the base became familiar with the message. Solidarity with women living on base is important in building a broad-based movement. Organizing for war resisters like Suzanne involves working toward a greater understanding of how gender politics play into the daily lives of women in the military and, more important to the role of a supporter, how sexism functions within the anti-war movement.

There are a number of areas that civilians can pressure the military to improve upon. According to the report "Sexual Assault in the Military: Context Factors and Measurements Issues," sexual assault can be significantly reduced if women are recruited and promoted into positions of leadership, gender-balanced work environments are created, and organizational climates are created where complaints of sexual harassment and assault are taken seriously, responded to swiftly.

Fort Lewis should seriously take into account these studies and respond to Suzanne's case judiciously if they are genuinely interested in reducing sexual violence. A recommendation to create an environment that is intolerant of sexual violence could include the introduction of more thorough and frequent sexual assault prevention trainings (in addition to the twice-a-year classes cited by Sgt. 1st Class James Currier, a spokesman for the Equal Opportunity Program at Fort Lewis) and mandatory anti-oppression workshops for all soldiers, with a more focused and detailed program for officers.

Playing a preventive role in the approach toward rape and sexual assault in the military is crucial in the struggle against a culture of violence. There is ample evidence to suggest reforms will have a significant impact on the daily lives of women serving in the military and it is the role of civilian citizens to be allies of rape and abuse victims in a manner that fulfills the needs of those resisting and with the requisite sensitivity due. This is not to say that reform of the system erases the violent culture that is being struggled against but it could mean all the difference to the life of a woman serving in the armed forces.

Caitlin Esworthy is a student at TESC and works with Olympia Movement for Justice and Peace.