National Council of Jewish Women CEO Endorses STOP Act

Nancy K. Kaufman, the CEO of the National Council of Jewish Women, has endorsed the STOP Act, targeting and sexual rape in the military. Kaufman writes:

Secretary Panetta has taken steps to remedy what he clearly considers to be an egregious situation. But the steps proposed emphasize what should happen after an assault is alleged to have occurred, and lack actions that would work to prevent rape and sexual assaults in the first place. For that reason, and to institutionalize needed change, Rep. Jackie Speier (D-CA) has introduced the latest congressional effort to combat sexual assault in the military — the Sexual Assault Training Oversight and Prevention Act, or STOP.

STOP (HR 3435) would establish an office within DOD with jurisdiction over the reporting, oversight, investigation, and victim care of sexual assaults. Such matters would be removed from the normal chain of command. The proposed law would also set up a director of military prosecutions and end non-judicial punishment or the consideration of service when looking at the perpetrator. Upon a conviction of a sexual assault, information about the perpetrator would be sent to the Department of Justice to be included in the National Sex Offender Registry. STOP would also establish the Sexual Assault Oversight and Response Council in DOD to advise the Secretary and Congress on relevant policy.

Read Kaufman’s full blog entry in the Huffington Post.