Sen Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) stands by Sen Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) at the introduction of the Military Justice Improvement Act (May 16, 2013)

Sexual assault: Women lawmakers push for change in US military

“Sexual assault in the US military is accelerating toward likely change in the way such cases are handled by senior uniformed officers – which is to say, it may be taken out of their hands. It’s a function of changing public attitudes regarding military service and sexual misconduct beyond ‘he said, she said’ – given greater strength by the growing ranks of women in senior elected positions.

In Congress, women lawmakers are leading the charge, pushing legislation that would take the authority to investigate and punish instances of sexual assault out of the chain of command, away from commanding officers whose potential conflict of interest may favor the military’s ‘good order and discipline’ as it applies to unit cohesion and war-fighting ability over vigorously prosecuting sexual offenders in the ranks, including fellow officers.”

Read more from the Christian Science Monitor here.