Compulsory military service – a unique opportunity to prevent several social problems in Latvia • IR.lv

The purpose of the male initiation rites of the ancient world was not only to recognize the physiological growth of the boy, but also to mark a significant change in the connection with everything around him. It was a moment that marked the assumption of responsibility for the whole community and the awakening of a consciousness that helps to understand that we humans are united in one system. Since these rituals have disappeared, we mostly no longer feel that our actions affect other members of the system. However, being aware of oneself beyond the boundaries of one’s small self, one’s family or community is the human ability that could now be crucially important for Latvia and the world. And smartly designed conscription can strengthen this fundamentally important ability.

About unsafe bridges

The river is a metaphor that highlights the complex nature of many socioeconomic problems and the importance of prevention work. Imagine a mighty river with a high waterfall, from which people fall one after another. At its foot, hundreds of rescuers are desperately trying to help the drowning. The forces of both the drowning and the rescuers are on the verge of exhaustion. One of the rescuers decides to go up the river to the top of the waterfall. Others call to him: “Where are you going? There are so many drowning people here! We need your help! Come back!” To which he replies, “I’m going to the top of the waterfall to find out why so many people are falling into the river!” It turns out, higher up the river, before the waterfall, there are several bridges. Someone – stable and safe. Someone else is completely ruined. It is no surprise that those who try to cross the river on the wobbly bridges fall into the river.

This metaphor clearly reminds us that some groups in society are more likely to “fall into the river” and that this is not because of their personal weaknesses. Rather, they are people who are not fortunate enough to be born and live in those privileged groups who move on safe bridges made of durable materials.

The dire situation in Latvia’s “river”

Latvia shares 1.-2. place in the European Union by the number of murders per 100,000 inhabitants and takes the 2nd place by the number of suicides. Men commit suicide five times more often than women. Latvia is the third most dangerous place for women in terms of domestic violence, but this number could be higher, as 67% of women who suffered violence do not report what they experienced.

Latvian schools are in the 1st place among OECD countries in terms of the prevalence of mobbing, and every third young person believes that he has long-term physical and mental health problems. Every fourth young person in Latvia is at risk of poverty and social exclusion.

86% of all homeless people are men. 91% of those serving a sentence for a criminal offense in Latvia are men. Latvia has the highest alcohol consumption among OECD countries – alcohol addiction has been found in 19% of Latvian men and 3% of women. In Latvia, every fourth young person smokes, and 44% of young people drink alcohol.

What happens above the waterfall?

The aforementioned list of statistics could be continued, but the trend is quite clear – mostly men fall into the “river”. There is no single reason why this happens, but several hypotheses can be put forward.

First, childhood abuse. It just seems that it is more acceptable to live with child victims of war, for example, currently in Ukraine, than to realize that 37.4% of children in Latvia experiencing war in his family. We want to believe the fairy tale that families are safe, peaceful havens in a troubled world, that we live in a civilized, intellectual society, and that cruelty is only a problem in distant lands. But you don’t have to experience military conflicts – equally deeply traumatic experiences can be had in relationships with family, friends, and neighbors. 42% of Latvian men indicated that they experienced physical or emotional violence directed against them in childhood. The perpetrator was most often the father.

The unbearable traumatic experience has devastating bodily effects and traumatizes the thinking and emotional world of the victim of violence. In order to survive, victims of violence try to push this experience into the subconscious, however, the smallest security threat can bring it back to their memory, causing unbearable emotional and physical feelings, as well as impulsive and aggressive behavior. To those who have not experienced abuse, the bystander is simply a bystander, but to the victim of abuse, it is a potential abuser who is about to do harm. Often, those who have experienced a traumatic experience later become abusers themselves, continuing the cycle of violence. These traumas also have significant effects on the brain, which is why victims of abuse often find themselves in the same dilemmas because they are unable to learn from the experience. Is it any wonder that those who have experienced violence cannot and do not want to recall it, so they often “fall into the river” – become alcoholics, drug addicts and perpetrators of violence?

Second, the lack of a male role model and the absence of initiation traditions. The most common type of family in Latvia – 23.6% or almost every fourth family – is one parent, mostly a mother, with one or more minor children. In addition, 86.6% of teachers in general education schools in Latvia are women. The task of exemplifying the male role and initiation traditions extends far beyond the boundaries of physical fitness. In the modern sense, it is an example and help to navigate in such matters as finding one’s vocation and building a professional career, working with the shadow aspects of the personality, healing deep wounds, developing self-reflection and other emotional intelligence abilities, sexuality, building relationships, raising children, financial skills, developing spiritual intelligence . It seems that currently a positive example of a man’s role, duties and responsibilities at the individual, group and societal level is unfortunately a privilege, the existence of which depends on the possibilities and values ​​of the particular family.

The country’s compulsory military service could become one of the stable bridges

The war in Ukraine has reawakened public concerns about the potential threat to our sovereignty, and the restoration of conscription seems to be the logical response. In my opinion, this crisis is an opportunity not to operate “in the lower reaches of the river”, but to use the future military service as a platform where the majority of Latvia’s young men will converge for a much broader and more sustainable goal. Namely, to promote not only the physical and military defense capabilities of these young men, but also their mental, emotional and psychological health, showing a real possibility to reduce the closed circle of violence, addiction and suicide, which threatens the future of our society, perhaps even more than potential external enemies.

If almost every second boy has experienced abuse as a child, almost every second young man will arrive at compulsory service with this experience. backpack. If the military service focuses only on the development of physical and military capabilities, it will be the same deeply traumatized young man, only more physically developed and more skilled with weapons. In order for this program to serve the development of young men who are ready for further life as determined, responsible, courageous, benevolent, upright, reliable and self-disciplined members of society, the content of the program and the quality of its implementation will be decisive. My long-term experience as a youth de-bullying volunteer shows that the ever-increasing understanding of the processes that accompany traumatic experiences opens up really wide opportunities to reduce or even eliminate the effects of trauma, helping victims of violence to get out of being stuck in the traumatic experience, to feel alive and meaningful. here and now and to live on successfully and meaningfully.

Latvia has the opportunity to create a unique program in the world, which could be replicated elsewhere, if it manages to combine the best practices from the military service experience of other countries of the world, the latest knowledge and experience in working with reducing or even eliminating the consequences of early life trauma, as well as knowledge and practice about the initiation of young men into responsible members of society. Compulsory military service, with a comprehensive and thoughtful program and mature, professional trainers who create it and are interested in the growth process of each young man, would serve the future interests of the whole society.

The author is an entrepreneur, social activist and mentor