Lexington Herald-Leader: Kentucky Voices – Military justice bill protects victims of sexual assault
Kelly Knight, a Glasgow, Kentucky native who served as a delegate to the United Nations General Assembly under President George W. Bush writes:
Many members of Congress have already recognized these realities and are doing something about it, including Kentucky’s junior senator, Rand Paul, a Republican. How often does an issue bring together Democrats and Republicans, establishment and Tea Party, liberal and conservative?
Sponsored by New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, a Democrat, the Military Justice Improvement Act seeks to reverse the systemic fear that victims of military sexual assault have described in deciding whether to report the crimes committed against them. Paul has signed on as a co-sponsor and should be commended for it, as have more than 30 other senators from both parties.
The Military Justice Improvement Act implements a system of independent, trained military prosecutors handling decisions about whether serious crimes go to trial. Transferring the responsibility of investigation and prosecution of these crimes to legal experts eliminates potential conflicts of interest and ensures justice for alleged victims and the accused.
