The Invisible War (2012)

 

 

 

The Invisible War is a documentary film which premiered in 2012. Here is some basic information about it:

 

** Directed by Kirby Dick

** Produced by Amy Ziering and Tanner King Barklow

** Written by Kirby Dick, Amy Ziering and Douglas Blush

** Run time: 1 hour and 39 minutes

 

This film focuses on a very sensitive topic: sexual harassment and rape within the US military. It is difficult to talk about it and even more difficult to know what to do about it. Even though many people would like to sweep this issue under the carpet, it is a fact that it is happening and it is not a minor issue. While most victims are female, some are male. Rape is not an act of intimacy; it is a demonstration of male power.

 

** Anybody can be a victim of this crime.

** Most victims are women, but some are men.

 

Some cases are never reported for a number of reasons.

 

(1) Perhaps the victim is ashamed to talk about it.

(2) Perhaps the victim is afraid that she (or he) will not be taken seriously.

(3) Perhaps the perpetrator is a friend of the person to whom the victim must report.

(4) Perhaps the perpetrator is the very person to whom the victim must report.

 

For obvious reasons, no one knows how many cases go unreported. It could be 50 per cent or more.

 

Some cases are reported. But only about ten per cent of them lead to a prosecution in which the perpetrator is punished. In most cases the perpetrator is known but never punished. The victim will often discover that it can be dangerous to report this crime. The victim will be blamed for the episode or the victim will be told that this is part of life within the military. The message is: 

 

“Shut up and get over it!”

 

When some victims tried to sue the US government, the suit was dismissed. The court claimed that rape is “an occupational hazard” of being in the military!

 

Many persons are interviewed in this film. I will not mention the names because the complete list is too long. The persons who are interviewed can be divided into four categories:

 

# 1. Victims of rape and sexual harassment

Most are female, a few are male. The evidence provided by these witnesses is disturbing and shocking.

 

# 2. Lawyers and reporters

They believe the victims and try to support them. They claim this issue is not taken seriously by the US military.

 

# 3. Members of Congress

Female and male; Democrats and Republicans. They are shocked when they hear the testimonies of the victims. They say they will do whatever they can to improve the rules and regulation of the military in order to prevent rape from happening and to make sure that perpetrators are punished if and when it does happen.

 

# 4. Military personnel

Most of them defend the system, in particular those who are still active. They insist the military is aware of the issue; that rules and regulations are in place; that the issue is being taken seriously; and that there is no attempt to sweep the problem under the carpet. It is interesting to see that those who are retired have a much more critical attitude towards the military. They tend to believe the victims.

 

The people who are interviewed talk about the current situation. But the topic (rape in the military) is also placed in a historical context. The problem is not new. It has existed for many years, but in most cases is was never discussed openly. Three prior cases are mentioned briefly in the film:

 

** The Tailhook scandal of 1991

** The Aberdeen Proving Ground scandal of 1996

** The Air Force Academy scandal of 2003

 

What do reviewers say about this film? Professional critics and general viewers agree: this is an important film. It has received several awards and prizes, including a Peabody Award and two Emmy Awards.

 

Here are the results of three review aggregators:

 

** 75 per cent = Meta

** 76 per cent = IMDb

** 84 per cent = Rotten Tomatoes (the audience)

** 99 per cent = Rotten Tomatoes (the critics)

 

Many reviewers say the film is painful to watch, but the issue is too important to be ignored. We have to face the facts, even if we do not like them. It is necessary to have an open discussion; it is necessary to deal with the problem in order to improve the current situation and try to solve the problem.

 

According to John Hahn, editor of LA Review of Books, this film is not just a work of art, it changes things (22 June 2012). He seems to be right. This film is changing things in three important ways:

 

# 1. Public awareness of the issue is increasing. The issue is being discussed more openly than before.

# 2. More victims are persuaded to come forward and tell their story.

# 3. The US military is being forced to change the rules and regulations in order to deal more efficiently with the issue.

 

I understand the numerous positive reviews and I agree with them. This film is a powerful document about a serious problem and therefore it is highly recommended.

 

PS # 1. For more information about the topic, see the following items:

 

** Honor Betrayed: Sexual Abuse in America’s Military by Mic Hunter (2007)

 

** “Betrayal in the Ranks,” a series of articles published in The Denver Post in 2004; available online as a digital document; the articles are written by Amy Herdy and Miles Moffeit; Amy Herdy appears in the film

 

** The Lonely Soldier: The Private War of Women in Iraq by Helen Benedict (2010, 2015); the author appears in the film

 

** Porcelain on Steel: Women of West Point’s Long Gray Line by Donna McAleer (2010); the author appears in the film

 

PS # 2. For details about the Tailhook scandal of 1991, see the following books:

 

** Fall from Glory: The Men Who Sank the US Navy by Gregory Vistica (1995)

 

** The Mother of All Hooks: The Story of the US Navy’s Tailhook Scandal by William H. McMichael (1997)

 

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Kirby Dick (born 1952)

 

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