Army Major Charged with Sexual Assault-Related Charges Involving at Least 20 Alleged Victims
POD is working with survivors, including civilians, in the case against Maj. Batt and is offering pro-bono legal support to all survivors in need
Washington, DC – Army Major Jonathan J. Batt of the Joint Artificial Intelligence Center in Crystal City, Virginia, has been charged with sexual assault-related charges involving at least 20 alleged victims in the Washington D.C. area between December 2019 and February 2023. Many of these victims are civilians and will not be offered legal representation by the military.
Protect Our Defenders (POD) – the pre-eminent national human rights organization dedicated to ending sexual violence in the military – is committed to supporting survivors and providing pro-bono legal services in this case. If you are a survivor in the case involving Major Jonathan J. Batt and are seeking pro bono legal support, please find more information about POD’s Legal Services Program here.
POD is also representing survivors in one of the largest military sexual assault scandals in recent history, involving more than 100 victims accusing Maj. Michael Stockin, an Army doctor, of sexual assault. These cases underscore the urgent need for systemic reforms to ensure military survivors of sexual violence receive the resources and legal representation mandated by federal law. POD calls on Congress to hold military leaders accountable for systemic failures, ensuring they protect service members and uphold standards that prevent abuse within the ranks.
Protect Our Defenders Senior Vice President, Josh Connolly, former Chief of Staff for Rep. Jackie Speier (former Chairwoman of the Military Personnel Subcommittee on the House Armed Services Committee), released the following statement:
“The case against Major Batt is a stark reminder of the military’s repeated failure to protect both service members and civilians from predators within its ranks. The number of survivors affected, and the length of time these abuses went unchecked, reflect a deeply broken system.
“Congress must bring military leaders to account, enforcing strict oversight to ensure accountability and restore mission readiness by addressing failures in protecting service members and civilians alike.
“Protect Our Defenders is steadfast in our role as an independent watchdog, ensuring the military upholds and enforces laws to hold perpetrators accountable and treat survivors with the dignity and support they deserve. We remain unwavering in our commitment to providing pro-bono legal services and advocacy for those impacted by these systemic failures.”
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About Protect Our Defenders: Protect Our Defenders is the pre-eminent national human rights organization dedicated to ending sexual violence, victim retaliation, misogyny, sexual prejudice, and racism in the military and combating a culture that has allowed it to persist. 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 http://facebook.com/ProtectOurDefenders or follow us on Twitter at https://twitter.com/ProtectRDfnders.
