Suzanne Nemchek
Blog 7
2
U.S. Sailors Arrested in Okinawa Rape
Police in Okinawa
arrested two United States Navy sailors after being identified by a rape victim
as her attacker (Fackler). Residents of
the island are already outraged by the presence of the American base since this
isn’t the first incident there to result in an arrest of American soldiers
(Fackler). In 1995, three American
soldiers raped an elementary school girl and set off mass protests by the
citizens against the American military presence (Fackler). It is suspected that these new arrests may
result in the same type of protests (Fackler).
Rape is a serious issue
on the micro/meso level as it can severely impact a person’s or community’s
emotional, physical, or psychological well-being. However, on a macro level, or even globally,
rape doesn’t leave much of an impact.
There is no doubt that rape is a traumatizing experience that can result
in injuries or even death, but there is no real threat to society as a whole
currently. For Okinawa, however, any
instance of crime seems to be taken seriously.
On this small island, residents “enjoy crime rates that are far below
those in the United States” (Fackler).
While Americans have been exposed to crime on a daily basis through
media or experience, Okinawans have not.
To make things worse, the crimes that are occurring are committed by
Americans stationed there for military purposes. This does not sit well with the residents of
this island, who wish to move the base.
It seems as if the United States base may have no choice but to relocate
since Okinawa’s governor protested directly to the prime minister of Japan as
well as the U.S. military (Fackler).
Works Cited
Fackler, Martin. 2012. “2 U.S. Sailors Arrested in
Okinawa Rape”. The New York Times. Retrieved
October 16, 2012. http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/17/world/asia/2-us-navy-sailors-arrested-in-okinawa-rape.html?ref=world&_r=0
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