Prevention

• Focus on victim “Don’t get raped”
• Lack of focus on MO of predators
• No deterrents or stiff punishments for violent crimes
• No database to track predators & prevent crimes
• Lack of punishment/accountability for those who retaliate
• Empowerment/Leadership/Bystander Intervention

Recruiting

• Moral waivers, waivers in general
• No mental health pre-assessment
• History of recruits with felony charges
• Predators that flock to positions of trust
• Autonomy in position, ability to isolate

Reporting

• Backlash on career: 92% of those who report are discharged (MRCC)
• Lack of confidentiality: Once you report a crime, everyone knows
• 26,300 sexual assaults/year: A number that the DoD has provided us with
• 53% of the victims are males; men less likely to report because of shame
• 26,300 people sexually assaulted per year does not include sexual harassment
• Sex harassment is reported to Equal Employment Opportunity, Commander’s program
• 87% do not report sexual assault; More then half are afraid of retaliation
• Chain of Command influence; Every level can impact victim’s decision to move forward
• Education for forensics; A thorough knowledge of importance of preserving evidence
• Retaliation; Impacts on troops who report: not believed, punished, bullied, isolated, etc.
• Formal process w/ legal focus; Report to Commander doesn’t require medical evaluation
• DoD reports 50% increase in reporting. Does that mean increase in violent crimes?

Chain of Command

• Depends on Personality
• Impact on Career
• Who is more important?
• No legal expertise
• No trauma experience
• No understanding of Modus Operandi
• Feres Doctrine/Lack of Accountability

Investigation

• Victim centered investigation
• Good soldier defense
• More support for criminal then victim
• Who investigates?
• Competing efforts
• OSI, CID, Commander, Prosecution, Defense
• No criminal history on record

Forensics

• Importance of procedure
• Collection/Storage
• Use in trial as evidence
• Coordinating forensics with reports of crimes
• Jurisdiction

Prosecution

• Command Influenced trial
• Commander decides to prosecute
• Special Victims Counsel has no say
• Lack of witnesses
• Experts on Criminal MO
• Coordination of multiple victims

Punishment

• Weak punishments
• Sex Offenders in Neighborhoods
• Minimal deterrents for future crimes

Mental Health

• Medication Treatment Centered
• Understaffed Mental Health (if any)
• Misdiagnosis in favor of government
• Lacking Holistic PTSD Approach

Documentation

• Commander’s Discretion
• Criminal Characteristics
• Permanent Files
• Transitional Employment
• Lack of Continuity
• High employee turn over rate

Intelligence

• Centralized Database
• Connecting Crimes
• Tracking Known Predators
• Suicide vs Murder
• Suicide (Bullying & Retaliation)
• Who is retaliating?
• Need to track red flags

Discharge

• Errant Diagnosis
• PTSD/MST
• Medical Process
• Misconduct
• Retirement

Veterans Affairs

• Delays in Care
• Transition is not smooth
• Medication focused

Congress

• Claire McCaskill – Keep the Chain of Command in tact; status quo
• Kirsten Gillibrand/MJIA – Victims report to military prosecutor instead of Commander
• Jackie Speier/Stop Act – Remove the Chain of Command from reporting, investigating, and prosecuting violent offenders in US Military.

American Public

• Saturated with victim accounts
• Desensitized to violence in general
• Blindly following causes
• Trust that Government will fix

Media

• Messages are sensationalized
• Misinformation in general
• Distractions
• Missing key information
• Education of military culture

Veteran Organizations

• Competing efforts
• Lack of unity
• Decision making lacks all information
• Egos, fame seekers, etc.