Washington, D.C. – Rep. Jane Harman (D-CA), Chair of the Homeland Security Intelligence Subcommittee, and Rep. Michael Turner (R-OH), Member of the House Armed Services Committee, today reintroduced legislation directing the Department of Defense to develop a comprehensive strategy to prevent rape and sexual assault in the military, and to vigorously prosecute those who commit such crimes. First introduced in the 110th Congress, a companion bill to the Harman-Turner legislation was introduced in the Senate by former Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-NY).
“Where is the outrage when a female soldier in Iraq is more likely to be raped by a fellow soldier than killed by enemy fire? Our military leaders must take decisive action by prosecuting perpetrators more vigorously and put an end to the permissive culture that says, ‘boys will be boys,’” said Harman. “We are making clear to the new White House and Pentagon that this crisis must end."
“The prevalence of rape and sexual assault in the military is not only malignant – it affects our mission success and the long-term health of our national security apparatus,” added Harman.
“Women serving in our Armed Forces who come forward and report a sexual assault must be protected from their alleged attackers,” Rep. Turner said. “DOD’s record of protecting women who report a rape and prosecute their case is shocking and unacceptable. I believe the legislation that Congresswoman Harman and I have put forward is a critical step in helping to solve this problem.”
According to the Department of Veterans Affairs, 66,342 female veterans reported being raped, sexually assaulted, or experiencing another form of military sexual trauma since 2002, constituting 20% of the women seen at VA facilities nationally. In FY 2007, 2,688 sexual assaults were reported, according to DOD, including 1,259 reports of rape. Shockingly, only 181 of the 2,212 (8%) reports investigated during FY 2007 were referred to courts martial -- a figure far below civilian prosecution rates, where 40% of those arrested are prosecuted.
The Harman/Turner legislation calls for:
• Commanders to be held accountable for assaults that occur in their units and provide justification for disposing of sexual assault cases through non-judicial punishment and other administrative actions.
• The Secretary of Defense to review current training methods for all military investigations staff, including Judge Advocates, and implement any improvements that are necessary.
• Notification of local civilian law enforcement officials of any military protective order issued on base to provide for continuity of protection of victims.
• An opportunity for a base transfer once a servicemember has notified her or his command that she or he has been sexually assaulted or raped.
The bipartisan legislation is endorsed by the National Women’s Law Center.
“The resolution introduced today by Congresswoman Harman focuses on a crucial issue that must be addressed. Sadly, the number of reported sexual assaults and rapes in the military has increased dramatically and continues to rise. Yet the number of cases that are not prosecuted has reached alarming levels. While the military has made some attempt to investigate these cases, it is not doing nearly enough,” said Nancy Duff Campbell, Co-President of the National Women’s Law Center. “In this resolution, Congresswoman Harman, who has long been seen as a leader on issues affecting women in the military, lays out concrete steps for what needs to be done. We urge the House of Representatives to pass it without delay.”
In a sign of progress, the Army, under Secretary Pete Geren, last year rolled out its “I A.M. Strong” campaign designed to eliminate sexual assault in the 1 million-person Army within five years.
“Our former colleague Pete Geren is providing outstanding leadership on this issue. The Army is the largest military branch and his efforts will make a huge difference. Hopefully the other military branches will follow,” said Harman.