| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE | CONTACT: Brian Purchia | June 26, 2012 | brian@protectourdefenders.com |
***Advisory***
PROTECT OUR DEFENDERS BRINGS 200 MILITARY RAPE AND SEXUAL ASSAULT SURVIVORS TOGETHER TO CALL ON CONGRESS TO ADVANCE STOP ACT
Survivors to deliver letter to Congress in support of STOP Act; signators featured in The Invisible War
Washington DC – On Wednesday, Protect Our Defenders will deliver letters to Congress signed by almost 200 veterans and survivors of military rape and sexual assault. The supporters include former Coast Guard member Kori Cioca, Navy Lt. Paula Coughlin, Marine Lt. Ariana Klay, Marine Lt. Elle Helmer, USAF Airman First Class Jessica Hinves and USAF Technical Sergeant Michael Matthews, who are featured in the newly released film, The Invisible War.
The letters to be presented to Congresswoman Speier (D-San Francisco/San Mateo) by survivors Elle Helmer, Jessica Hinves, Jenny McClendon and Rebecca Johnson-Stone, is the first time that military rape survivors have coalesced to call for action as a unified group. The letter thanks the 125 co-sponsors of Congresswoman’s Speier’s Sexual Assault Training Oversight and Prevention Act – or STOP Act (H.R. 3435), but urges Congress to stop delaying and pass the Military Sexual Trauma (MST) legislation.
The STOP Act addresses the core issue. It removes the reporting, oversight, investigation, and victim care from the normal chain of command and places jurisdiction in an autonomous and unbiased office comprised of civilian and military experts.
WHO: Congresswoman Jackie Speier 9 (D-San Francisco/San Mateo), Survivors of military rape and sexual assault
WHEN: 12 PM ET, Wednesday June 27, 2012
Rep. Speier will meet with survivors at Noon, following the meeting survivors will deliver letters to Congressional offices. ***Copies of the letter and photos will be available on Wednesday
WHERE: 211 Cannon House Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20515
For more information on the STOP Act, please visit: https://www.protectourdefenders.com/policy-statement/legislation/
About Protect Our Defenders: Protect Our Defenders is a human rights organization. We seek to honor, support and give voice to the brave women and men in uniform who have been sexually assaulted while serving their country, and re-victimized by the military adjudication system – a system that often blames the victim and fails to prosecute the perpetrator. Learn more about Protect Our Defenders at www.protectourdefenders.com or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ProtectOurDefenders or follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/#!/ProtectRDfnders.
###