Care or Justice: Care Ethics and the Restricted Reporting Sexual Assault Policy in the US Military

Abstract

Many care-ethics scholars argue that care and justice should harmonize. While agreeing in general, we argue for a hard limit on justice in some instances. For example, we find evidence to support limiting justice in favor of care in the US military's restricted reporting policy in cases of sexual assault. This policy allows victims to receive medical treatment without initiating a criminal investigation. Moreover, the article finds additional evidence to normatively prioritize care in the policy's attentiveness and responsiveness, two values emphasized by care-ethics scholars. This article gives insight into how care and justice can devolve into an antagonistic relationship, something many care-ethics scholars seek to avoid. Finally, this article suggests how a more harmonious relationship between care and justice might be restored.