Tag: Sexual Assault

Navy chaplains to receive more training on sexual abuse

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US NavyNavy chaplains to receive more training on sexual abuse

ST. LOUIS (RNS) Kristen Leslie began her 2003 book, “When Violence Is No Stranger,” with a verse from Psalms, a nod to her training as a theologian.

“It is not enemies who taunt me — I could bear that; it is not adversaries who deal insolently with me — I could hide from them. But it is you, my equal, my companion, my familiar friend…”

Read more: http://www.religionnews.com/2013/10/07/navy-chaplains-to-receive-more-training-on-sexual-abuse/

Sex-Assault Victims May Be Eligible for VA Disability Pay

On By AdministratorIn Military Policy, PTSD, TBI, Mental Illness, Sexual AssaultLeave a comment

Veterans AffairsSex-Assault Victims May Be Eligible for VA Disability Pay

Military personnel who were the victims of sexual assault can seek disability pay for the psychiatric trauma even if they didn’t officially report the incident, a U.S. appeals court ruled today.

Read more: http://www.businessweek.com/news/2013-09-30/sex-assault-victims-rejected-by-va-for-disability-to-get-review

Fear of retaliation: The culture that prevents airmen from speaking up

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USAF SealFear of retaliation: The culture that prevents airmen from speaking up

They accused superiors of assault and harassment, now their careers are over.

Victims “tell me they don’t come forward for a number of reasons. They feel personally ashamed. They feel that they may be blamed for what has happened. They do fear retaliation, sometimes from chain of command, sometimes from their buddies in the unit.”

Read more: http://www.airforcetimes.com/article/20131007/NEWS/310070009/Fear-of-retaliation-The-culture-that-prevents-airmen-from-speaking-up

Rape In The Military: An Epic Tragedy Enabled By Poor Governance

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Rape In The Military: An Epic Tragedy Enabled By Poor Governance

Did you see the recent New York Times article on the outrageous questioning of an alleged rape victim during a military trial? The scene described dovetails with events going on at the University of Southern California Price School, where I teach and direct the Bedrosian Center on Governance. It also highlights how poor governance structures can make a bad system even worse.

Read more: http://www.forbes.com/sites/raphaelbostic/2013/10/01/rape-in-the-military-an-epic-tragedy-enabled-by-poor-governance/

Pentagon advisory panel: Strip commanders’ ability to prosecute sexual assaults

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Department of DefensePentagon advisory panel: Strip commanders’ ability to prosecute sexual assaults

The push to strip commanders of their authority to prosecute sexual assault cases got a boost from an official Pentagon advisory group that is calling on military leaders to support the proposed law.

The Defense Advisory Committee on Women in the Services, known as DACOWITS, voted on Friday to support the controversial bill that is gaining steam, albeit slowly, on Capitol Hill.

Read more: http://www.armytimes.com/article/20130930/NEWS06/309300029/Pentagon-advisory-panel-Strip-commanders-ability-to-prosecute-sexual-assaults

The U.S. military’s enemy within

On By AdministratorIn Military Policy, Sexual Assault1 Comment

US NavyThe U.S. military’s enemy within

As a sexual assault case involving three U.S. Naval Academy midshipmen — all current or former football players — works its way through the system, advocates for victims of sexual assault in the U.S. military say abuse stems from a culture of misogyny and machismo in which sexual aggression and deviance are tolerated and even admired as the Right Stuff.

The culture, they told “E:60,” has been enabled by the U.S. military’s system of broken justice that allows the military to attract abusers while providing them a safe haven.

Read more: http://espn.go.com/espn/e60/story/_/id/9754343/the-us-military-enemy-within

Why do we need the Military Justice Improvement Act?

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Retaliation

Because more than 86% of service members assaulted do NOT report it. Help us pass the MJIA. Contact your
Senators and Representatives and ask them to reform the military justice system and provide victims with a new place to report their crimes. Please sign this petition: http://www.change.org/petitions/u-s-congress-demand-justice-for-military-sexual-trauma-victims-support-s-967?utm_source=supporter_message&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=petition_message_notice

Chuck Hagel’s sexual assault panel may be too late

On By AdministratorIn Armed Forces, Army, Child Abuse, Cold Cases, Domestic Violence, Felony Crime, Homicide, Military Policy, Navy, Sexual Assault, USAF, USMCLeave a comment

Department of DefenseDefense Secretary Chuck Hagel is soliciting advice on what else he can do to stop sexual assault in the ranks by turning to a panel of experts from outside the Pentagon.

But there’s a big catch: The nine-person committee he has chartered to study the issue doesn’t plan to release any recommendations until several months after the Senate votes on the key question of whether to remove the chain of command from major criminal prosecutions.

Read more here.

Update on the Military Justice Improvement Act (September 20, 2013)

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Stars and Stripes: ‘White House, Congress bear down on military sexual assault’ (May 16, 2013)

In January, veterans were able to address the House Armed Services Committee regarding crime and non combat death in the military. The testimony was on the heels of what was referred to in the media as the “Lackland Sex Scandal.” The veterans specifically emphasized that crime is military wide and not specific to the Air Force. The veterans also shared that most service members are not reporting because of a fear of retaliation. Shortly after the testimony was given, Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta announced the combat exclusion policy was lifted and the media was poised to move in that direction.

Then in March, Senator Kirsten Gillibrand asked for a hearing on Military Sexual Assault with those on the personnel subcommittee to the Senate Armed Services Committee. At that time four other veterans testified and affirmed that removing the Chain of Command would have helped prevent their current situations due to the retaliation.

Senator Gillibrand announced in May that she was going to sponsor the Military Justice Improvement Act, which is a law that would restrict the Commanders from handling felony crimes of over a year or more sentence. She introduced it to the Senate Armed Services Committee and Senator Carl Levin shut the whole thing down. It was at this time that Senator Claire McCaskill, Senator Kelly Ayotte, Senator Jon Tester, Senator Jim Inhofe, and Senator Levin started to fight for the Department of Defense and keep everything status quo.

Right now we are trying to get support from the other Senators to force the MJIA bill back on the table. We have both Democrats and Republicans on board and recently Conservatives like Senator Rand Paul, Senator Chuck Grassley, and Senator Ted Cruz have signed on because they understand the constitutional aspect of this dilemma. We should not be reporting felony crimes to our boss. We should be reporting violent crimes to a legal authority of some sort. One person, ie the Commander, should not have sole discretion over whether or not we proceed with justice.

Please contact your Senators and Representatives and ask them to sponsor legislation that mirrors that of the civilian justice system. Victims of crimes should report to police, the police should investigate the claims, the police should enter the information into the FBI national database, and then a prosecutor can make a decision as to whether one can move forward with a case in a court of law. A person’s claim needs to be corroborated in some way so that we have the evidence necessary to go to court, win, and put a criminal behind bars.

Related Links:
Air Force TSgt. Jennifer Norris Testified Before the House Armed Services Committee in Washington DC (January 23, 2013)
Defense Department Rescinds Direct Combat Exclusion Rule; Services to Expand Integration of Women into Previously Restricted Occupations and Units (January 24, 2013)
Senate Armed Services Subcommittee on Personnel: Hearings on ‘Sexual Assault in the Military’ (March 13, 2013)
Stars and Stripes: ‘White House, Congress bear down on military sexual assault’ (May 16, 2013)
S. 967: Military Justice Improvement Act of 2013 – U.S. Senate Voting Record (March 6, 2014)
Military Policy and Legislation Considerations for the Investigations of Non Combat Death, Homicide, and Suicide of US Service Members
Vox: The War in Congress Over Rape in the Military, Explained (June 8, 2016)
Washington D.C. Veteran’s Presentation on the Current Status of the Armed Forces at Fort Hood in Texas (December 12, 2017)
S. 1789: Military Justice Improvement Act of 2019 Reintroduced by Republican Senator Ted Cruz of Texas and Democratic Senator Kirsten Gillibrand of New York (June 13, 2019)
Gillibrand: The Military Justice Improvement Act Would Give Service Members a Justice System That Works (July 1, 2019)
House Armed Services Subcommittee on Military Personnel: Hearings on Domestic Violence in the Military (September 18, 2019)
Rep. Seth Moulton Introduces The Brandon Act to Change DoD Mental Health Policy, Pay Tribute to Fallen Navy Sailor Brandon Caserta (June 25, 2020)
Senators Cruz, Gillibrand, Grassley Offer Bipartisan Military Justice Improvement Act as Amendment to Defense Bill (July 2, 2020)
Open Letter to House of Representatives in Support of an Independent Investigation of the Murder of Vanessa Guillen at Fort Hood (July 7, 2020)
House Armed Services Committee Congressional Investigation of Fort Hood: Research Reveals Pattern of Suspicious Deaths and Cover-up (September 11, 2020)
Army Soldiers at Fort Hood in Texas Are Dying at Alarming Rates Stateside (January 1, 2016 to Present)
Senate Armed Services Committee Members & House Armed Services Committee Members (June 21, 2019)

The Washington Times: Top Marine Gen. James Amos Accused of Interfering in Sex Assault, Desecration Cases (July 28, 2013)

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020916-M-5266H-001
Gen. James Amos, U.S. Marine Corps

“A military judge did something extraordinary last summer when he ordered the Marine Corps‘ top officer to submit sworn statements in a sexual assault case. The answers from the commandant, Gen. James F. Amos, have some in Marine legal circles wondering whether he told the full truth. Gen. Amos, a Joint Chiefs of Staff member, faces charges from defense attorneys that his words and actions have unleashed a wave of unlawful command influence over jurors who venerate the commandant.” Read more from The Washington Times here.