TW for sexual assault, rape, victim blaming, abuse
"Based on over 270 in-person and telephone interviews, examination of documents that US government agencies produced in response to public record requests, and data analysis, this report covers the impact of “bad discharges” on military personnel who were separated from the military after reporting a sexual assault. It looks at the lasting impact of bad discharges on sexual assault victims and the remedies available to correct any injustice.
Over the past several years, in response to public pressure, the US military has made a concerted effort to improve how it handles sexual assault cases. Many of the reforms have provided important additional resources and protections for service members who are sexually assaulted while in service. Other policy changes have made it more difficult to quickly dismiss service members for mental health conditions.
However, virtually nothing has been done to address the ongoing harm done to thousands of veterans who reported sexual assault before reforms took place and lost their military careers as a result of improper administrative discharges.
'Personality Disorder' discharges—a term used to describe a mental health condition that can disqualify someone from military service—were once “the fastest and easiest way to get rid of someone” in the military. The use of personality disorder discharges declined dramatically in 2010 after government studies revealed proper procedures were often not followed. Nonetheless, these, and other types of questionable mental health discharges, are still in use and they comprise part of the discharges examined in this report because of the continuing harm suffered by veterans who received these discharges and have no recourse to correct their records."
Note from PDV!: I have reported on the improper PD discharges within the US military before, but it didn't stop there, and I suspect it hasn't stopped even now. The HRW reported that a bill had been introduced to prevent retaliation against those who report such things but it has not been passed.
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