Female Navy Officers Were Filmed While Showering

Well, this is beyond creepy. CNN reports the U.S. Navy is currently conducting a criminal investigation to figure out who secretly filmed female naval officers showering on a submarine. The investigation began after an incident report filed in November alleges at least three female officers fell prey to voyeurism on the submarine over the course of a year. The footage was then disseminated amongst the crew. I think I just threw up in my mouth a little bit.

The submarine crew in question is the USS Wyoming, which is currently deployed. However, its location cannot be revealed for obvious safety and strategic reasons. No one has been taken into custody, but the alleged perpetrators were removed from the ship in anticipation of the results of the investigation. Additionally, Navy documents state the female officers have received assistance, though it doesn't disclose what that actually means, if anything at all.

Because of the unisex nature of the facilities on submarines, it's possible that footage of male sailors was also obtained, but it was not distributed. Women in the Navy generally put signs on the doors to indicate they are showering or changing, which may have worked against them in this particular situation.

In case you didn't know this — because I didn't — female officers on submarines are a bit of a novelty. Which is to say they haven't been allowed on submarines for long. In fact, the first women were allowed to serve on submarines as recently as 2011, with the provision being extended just last month.

I really wish I could say sexual assault and exploitation were uncommon in the U.S. military, but as you may know, it's disturbingly common. In fact, the number of sexual assaults reported within the military rose again this year, increasing by eight percent with 6,000 victims reporting. Needless to say, being a woman in the military is not easy by any stretch of the imagination, and only now after rampant media coverage is even a modicum of action being taken to deal with the military's generally obtuse practices when it comes to processing incident reports.

The statistics get more horrifying each year, and this submarine incident is yet another major disappointment. All I can say is I hope that the Navy figures this whole mess out – and fast. Not only must the perpetrators be duly punished, but also the women who fell victim to this disgusting act of voyeurism must be treated with utmost respect. We should be tolerating no less.

Images: Getty (2)