What’s Wrong With The Military? Sexism, Abuse Cultural Problem House Rep Says

The highest ranking Democrat on the House Armed Services Committee blamed sexism as reasons for the Marine Corps and the military’s overall naked photo-sharing scandal. It’s a widespread problem throughout the armed services, Rep. Adam Smith (D-Wash.) said Sunday.

The scandal, which was unearthed earlier this month, at first involved a Facebook group made up of veterans and active duty Marines who were swapping photos of female Marines, both dressed and nude, without their consent. It's since come to envelop the rest of the military’s branches while the Naval Criminal Investigative Service continued its probe.

Read: What To Know About Marine Naked Photo Scandal

“Certainly, sexism is part of it,” Smith said during an interview on C-Span’s Newsmakers according to Military Times. “But we have had several instances of hazing going too far, leading to deaths in the military. I think there is a cultural problem of abuse within the military that needs to be confronted. This isn’t just a few bad actors. It's a broader problem than that.”

A hearing has been scheduled for May to discuss sexual assault and harassment in the military, but Smith said that more actions were required “to discuss this issue … and to figure out a plan for how (service leaders) will begin to change the process of changing the culture.”

While there were calls by Democrats on the Armed Services Committee to hold public hearings, those attempts have so far been shot down by their Republican counterparts. The investigation was ongoing but the Marine Corps did issue updated social media guidelines on March 15 which further outlined how enlistees could be punished or “held accountable” for their actions online.

Read: U.S. Admits To 200 Civilians Killed In Mosul Airstrike

The scandal had opened the military to more criticism of late, in particular how women were treated following the first three female Marines joining infantry units in January.

And earlier this month, the Associated Press found that reports of sexual assault were up at the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, New York and at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Maryland.