Gay Sailor Terrorized by Unit Mates for Years

JOSEPH ROCHA X390 (FAIR USE) | ADVOCATE.COM

A sailor stationed in Bahrain was brutalized for two years after his unit mates started to suspect that he is gay.

Petty Officer Third Class Joseph Rocha was assigned to the Bahrain Military Working Dogs Division, according to Youth Radio, which uncovered military documents chronicling the abuse.

Rocha's unit mates reportedly abused him by tying him to a chair and pushing him, still bound, into a dog kennel full of feces. The sailor also said he was forced to simulate oral sex with a man more than 30 times, on video tape, as part of a training exercise to teach sailors how to respond to a hypothetical complaint about homosexual sex. They also reportedly hit him as hard as they could repeatedly while forcing him to bend over a desk.

The abuse began six weeks into his deployment in 2004 when he was ostracized for not being interested in prostitutes.

While one of the sailors involved was later promoted as chief, even though documentation of the abuse was on record with the Navy, Rocha was eventually discharged for revealing voluntarily that he is gay.

Rocha did not report the abuse to the Navy until 2006, for fear of retaliation and discharge under the military's ban on openly gay service members.

An investigation was not launched until a colleague filed a complaint.

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FILE UNDER: DADT

Reader Comments

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Name: Meg
Date posted: 9/8/2009 3:34:51 PM
Hometown: Tampa Bay

Comment:
If they were doing this to the humans, what are they doing to the canine members of the unit? Experience says that those who disrespect human life, also tend to use domestic animals as punching bags as well. Perhaps an investigation into the conduct of the entire unit is called for...
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Name: Meg
Date posted: 9/8/2009 3:34:27 PM
Hometown: Tampa Bay

Comment:
If they were doing this to the humans, what are they doing to the canine members of the unit? Experience says that those who disrespect human life, also tend to use domestic animals as punching bags as well. Perhaps an investigation into the conduct of the entire unit is called for...
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Name: Kevin
Date posted: 9/8/2009 1:38:02 PM
Hometown: Ft.Lauderdale

Comment:
This is just wrong .... just because somebody is gay that doesn't give people the right to hurt them in any way shape or form. I think the U.S. military needs to do something about gays and lesbians getting beat and or harassed just because of who and what they are. I hope the sailor files charges against those who did that to him along with any and all his C.O.s ( commanding officers ) Ok now personaly I think Joseph Rocha is super cute. Oh and Mark F. of D.C. just because you may get into that freaky stuff doesn't mean all gay men are into it, I think you need to look at yourself before you say anything about other people first. Just remember what you like other people may feel is freaky and twisted.
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Name: JC
Date posted: 9/7/2009 8:06:12 PM
Hometown: Marietta, Georgia

Comment:
I would like the writer of this article to dig in deep. Was this the United States military and was this person Hispanic. I've suffered racial discrimination and gay discrimination in the workplace as well for both being gay and Hispanic. I overcame these two things thanks to well promoting my own self out of these negative environments partly because my work was so good. But as fellow Hispanics and Gay people (in general) we need to stand up to all kinds of abuse - when it happens. It is forgivable and understandable that this sailor did not, I don't know his exact circumstances some people just have nowhere to go other than the military. And I feel SO SORRY for the poor soldier whose life was in danger and was threatened with his throat getting cut. Talk about sleeping with the enemy. Personally I think all these sailors/soldiers who suffered bigotry for DADT and didn't end up shooting their tormentors should be given the Congressional Medal of Freedom for Courage Under Fire.
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Name: MarkF
Date posted: 9/7/2009 8:11:33 AM
Hometown: DC

Comment:
Oh come off of it. This dude not only loved the abuse, he encouraged it and got off on it. Then things got out of hand and he pitched a fit. I can find a dozen queers right now who'd cum over this stuff.
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Name: MarkF
Date posted: 9/7/2009 8:11:17 AM
Hometown: DC

Comment:
Oh come off of it. This dude not only loved the abuse, he encouraged it and got off on it. Then things got out of hand and he pitched a fit. I can find a dozen queers right now who'd cum over this stuff.
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Name: Carlos
Date posted: 9/6/2009 11:23:34 AM
Hometown: Montreal/Canada

Comment:
Unbelieveble... Shame on Military Working Dogs Division. All the people involved in this despicable action must be legaly prosecuted. These men and women must have a brain of peanut. Shame on the Navy. I can stand these people who was suposed to protect freedom and rights and they are unable to protect their own.
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Name: john in SF
Date posted: 9/6/2009 6:55:10 AM
Hometown: San Francsco

Comment:
I'm glad you made it through Chris, I think you are really brave because not only did you fight the enemy as a soldier, you fought the enemy in the bed next to you. I'm glad that you never pulled the trigger, but it sounds as if it shoudl have never been pointed at yourself, but more to the asshole next to you who threatened to slit your throat, sounds like self defense to me.
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Name: john in SF
Date posted: 9/6/2009 6:53:50 AM
Hometown: San Francsco

Comment:
I'm glad you made it through Chris, I think you are really brave because not only did you fight the enemy as a soldier, you fought the enemy in the bed next to you. I'm glad that you never pulled the trigger, but it sounds as if it shoudl have never been pointed at yourself, but more to the asshole next to you who threatened to slit your throat, sounds like self defense to me.
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Name: Jeff
Date posted: 9/5/2009 4:06:18 PM
Hometown: Reno

Comment:
Did the author once say this guy was in the UNITED STATES Navy? Come on guys, poor writing.....

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