For Love of Country: Confronting Rape and Sexual Harassment in the U.S. Military [Paperback]

Terri Spahr Nelson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 14, 2002

A compelling exploration of sexual victimization in the United States military!

This incisive book offers a unique perspective on rape and sexual harassment in the United States military. Drawn from the experiences of military personnel and presented in their own words, For Love of Country: Confronting Rape and Sexual Harassment in the U.S. Military takes an honest and heartfelt look at a pervasive problem. Service veterans speak candidly about a breakdown of values and leadership failure which has perpetrated a culture of abuse. Male and female rape victims reflect on their efforts to serve their country with honor.

Author Terri Spahr Nelson, a decorated United States Army veteran and psychotherapist specializing in sexual trauma recovery, has mixed a compelling chorus of hundreds of personal accounts into a single voice calling for reform. She presents emotional retellings from victims of rape and sexual harassment, with responses from military and congressional leaders. Ms. Nelson offers statistics released from the Pentagon about sexual assault reports, convictions, and the General Accounting Office, and current field research.

For Love of Country: Confronting Rape and Sexual Harassment in the U.S. Military presents:

• personal accounts from survivors
• unique, inside perspectives from military personnel and veterans
• commentary from military and congressional leaders
• Pentagon statistics on sexual assault with conviction and sentencing rates
• findings and recommendations from the Department of Defense
• clinical information on issues facing military trauma survivors

For Love of Country: Confronting Rape and Sexual Harassment in the U.S. Military serves as a one-of-a-kind resource for professionals, an educational must for military personnel, and a compelling eye-opener to anyone concerned with the preservation of integrity and honor in the United States armed services.

Product Details

• Paperback: 328 pages
• Publisher: Routledge; 1 edition (June 14, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0789012227
• ISBN-13: 978-0789012227
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 6 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.1 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #705,105 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Terri Spahr Nelson is the editor of the Reflections from Women book series. She also developed the Women's Collaborative Empowerment Model for writing and publishing--the foundation of this series. The Reflections from Women books are published by Sugati Publications where a portion of the profits go to charitable agencies serving women and girls.

Terri is also a national consultant, speaker and psychotherapist. She has provided numerous trainings and retreats for women and helping professionals. Additionally, she has been interviewed by national and international media including: CNN, NPR, 60 Minutes, BBC, Al Jazeera, Asia Times, Newsweek, The Village Voice, and others. She maintains a private psychotherapy practice, provides consultations and trainings for national and international programs, and continues to author publications on coping and trauma as well as overseeing the Reflections from Women series.

Terri found her passion in the helping profession many years ago and her path to writing has been a natural sequence to that niche. When you read her work, you will realize her compassion and spirit as her writing touches your heart and it may open your mind to a new perspective!

For information about the "Reflections from Women" series, go to www.reflectionsfromwomen.com or Sugati Publications at www.sugatipublications.com.
To see a 90 second video introduction of her latest book featuring some of the authors and their stories, go to http://www.youtube.com/user/ReflectionsFromWomen

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The New Training Manual for Officers, January 31, 2003

By 

Heather Adam, USAF (Clarksville, Indiana United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: For Love of Country: Confronting Rape and Sexual Harassment in the U.S. Military (Paperback)

It is right for men and women to want to serve their country.

It is right for men and women to volunteer to train and support the interests of their leaders.

It is right for subordinates to respectfully obey their commanders.

It is logical to assume that I need only fear the external enemy. Yet, in this respect Ms. Nelson tells the truth.

By outlining military standards of conduct and defining the perception that the enemy lies outside of the American chain of command, Ms. Nelson honestly describes the situation of patiotic soldiers who believe they are safe in a very imperfect system.

In the context of presenting truth about the frequency of abuse, culture of the military that perpetuates the abuse, and the consequences of abuse to individuals and to units, Ms. Nelson offers logical solutions to a historical problem.

Ms. Nelson's book is worded in such a way as to offer hope to mature leadership in their ability to address these issues. The book honors soliers who committed their lives and security to the Armed Services only to be betrayed by a comrad and dismissed by their division. Ms. Nelson obviously cares about her country and cares about service men and women.

I would recommend this book as standard training for all officer candidates. This book is so well written and true that it would behoove us to dissolve all current sexual harrassement/abuse training and instead assign this book correspondence to each Commander thus establishing a new individual standard outside of the communal culture. The standard needs to raised. Ms. Nelson, with candor and grace, says how high.

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent reading and well researched, October 10, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: For Love of Country: Confronting Rape and Sexual Harassment in the U.S. Military (Paperback)

This book is extremely validating for me. It is a relief that women (and men) are finally able to talk about the horrible assualts they suffered while serving their country and that someone is listening and writing it down. This is an important book on a serious subject that has been long neglected. It is imperative that military leadership take notice. Fascinating and informative.

5 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Interesting and well-documented, November 11, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: For Love of Country: Confronting Rape and Sexual Harassment in the U.S. Military (Paperback)

This is the premiere book on sexual harassment in the military. An informative presentation of this complex subject. A very timely book considering the many scandals coming out the military academies.