The purpose of this essay is to discuss the issue of rape and sexual violence in the military. The number of rape and sexual assault attacks among the military is at an all-time high. Recently women have been allowed to fight on the front lines. While this can be a huge accomplishment for women, for this woman it is a very scary thought. I am a junior student at the Texas Academy of Biomedical Sciences; a school geared towards students who wish to enter the medical field. One day I may be forced to join the army if a war breaks out and women are needed to protect the country. I would be happy to serve my country if I didn't have to be afraid of my fellow soldiers. Rape and sexual violence are major problems in the military and have been addressed for many years without much effort to reduce attacks. I suggest that unless the issue of rape and sexual assault is resolved, the number of people joining the military, particularly women, will significantly decline. I suggest that the prosecution of rapists and sexual assaulters should be handled by civil courts rather than civil courts. the military system itself, as it is currently managed. This would allow offenders to be judged fairly and get the formal punishment they deserve. It's no secret that the military has made rules regarding rape in the past. There is no formal punishment and most cases are not even considered for trial. This total lack of concern for victims of rape and sexual assault will dissuade future soldiers from joining the military and other branches of the service. Soldiers will be more fearful for their safety from their fellow soldiers than from being killed by the common enemy. I chose you, Mr. Hagel, to write because I... halfway through the paper... report needing to be edited. Victims must be able to bring their cases to civil courts to be more fairly compensated for their attacks. The Eighth Amendment to the United States Constitution states, “Excessive bail shall not be required, nor excessive fines imposed, nor cruel and unusual punishments inflicted,” (Source Cornell). This amendment is being violated today in the military. These victims are being punished to be victims. Many victims are forced to leave the military after attacks and do not receive adequate medical care. Victims are treated cruelly for crimes committed against them. Works Cited http://www.sapr.mil/http: //www.law.cornell.edu/constitution/eighth_amendment http://www.npr.org/2011/07/ 03/137536111/by-the-numbers-todays-militaryhttp://www.womensmemorial.org/PDFs /StatsonWIM.pdf