San Antonio Express-News: AF general was warned not to toss conviction
The San Antonio Express-News reports: Franklin’s personal advocacy on Wilkerson’s behalf and the warning, from Brig. Gen. Scott Zobrist, emerged...
US News and World Report: Military Justice: Blaming the Victim
US News and World Report writes: One of the problems with stopping sexual assault in the military (and in general)...
PRESS RELEASE: Emails from Aviano Sexual Assault Scandal Shows Bias and Blind Loyalty from Military Brass
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE September 3, 2013
Contact: Brian Purchia, brian@protectourdefenders.com
*** PRESS RELEASE ***
NEW EVIDENCE: EMAILS FROM AVIANO SEXUAL...
RH Reality Check: Navy Rape Hearing: Was the Victim Wearing Underwear the Night of Her Assault?
Protect Our Defenders is mentioned in this article from RH Reality Check, a daily publication focused on sexual and reproductive health...
New York Times: Military Rape, Enemy Within the Ranks
Protect Our Defenders Advocacy Committee Members Kate Weber and Jessica Hinves are featured in the New York Times photography blog,...
Washington Post: Lawyer leads charge against sexual assault in military
The Washington Post reports: But Burke, who arrives in court with damp hair and her arm around her client, does...
Baltimore Sun: Aggressive tactics highlight the rigors of military rape cases
The Baltimore Sun reports: She was too drained to go on, she said. After four days and more than 20...
Florida Times-Union: Delores Barr Weaver backs national effort to support victims of military sexual assault
The Florida Times-Union reports: Jacksonville philanthropist Delores Barr Weaver has joined three other women with Florida connections in the national...
Stars and Stripes: Emails show general warned against reversing Wilkerson verdict
Stars and Stripes reports: Brig. Gen. Scott Zobrist didn’t mince words. The commander of the 31st Fighter Wing at Aviano...
ABA Journal: Military lawyers confront changes as sexual assault becomes big news
The ABA Journal reports: But in the military, the commanding officers have that power and more. Although they don’t necessarily...
The Tennessean: Mother sues Army in child sex abuse case
The Tennessean reports: A Clarksville, Tenn., woman is suing the Army for $30 million, saying its silence on a sex...
Tampa Bay Times: Trapped in trauma: Male victims confront sexual assault in military
The Tampa Bay Times reports: As far back as the 1991 Tailhook scandal, in which drunken aviators assaulted dozens of...
SELF Magazine: The Protector – Attorney Susan Burke
Attorney Susan Burke was recognized by SELF Magazine as a 2013 Women Doing Good Honoree: Four important facts: Women in...
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...
San Antonio Express-News Editorial: Hagel misses important opportunity
A San Antonio Express-News editorial writes: There is much to admire in what Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel is imposing on...
Poughkeepsie Journal Editorial: Sexual assaults in military must be addressed
A Poughkeepsie Journal editorial writes: Under the bipartisan effort called the Military Justice Improvement Act, many offenses, including directly disobeying...
POD Advisory Board Member Garry Trudeau’s “Doonesbury” on Military Sexual Assault Epidemic
Today’s Doonesbury strip tackles the issue of rape and sexual assault in the military, biased commanders, and a broken justice...
Houston Chronicle: “Cracking Down” Editorial Cartoon
Houston Chronicle cartoonist Nick Anderson tackles the epidemic of rape and sexual assault in the military: Read more here.
Not Changing: An Active Duty MST Survivor blogs about SHARP
In the wake of repeated sexual assault crises, the military earlier this year revamped its Sexual Harassment/ Assault Response and...
CBS News: Remove sexual assault cases from chain of command, says Speier
Congresswoman Jackie Speier (D-CA) spoke with Bob Schieffer on Face the Nation yesterday to explain why she doesn’t think the Pentagon’s...
Connecticut Post: Legislation supported to pull sex-assault cases from chain of command
The Connecticut Post reports: Paula Coughlin exposed military sexual assault two decades ago. Now, the “Tailhook” whistleblower is leading a...
San Antonio Express-News: Support builds for military sex-assault reform legislation
San Antonio Express-News Reports: Paula Coughlin exposed military sexual assault two decades ago. Now, the “Tailhook” whistleblower is leading a...
MSNBC: Critics pan Pentagon sexual assault reforms
MSNBC reports: The Pentagon’s Thursday announcement of new reforms to how it handles military sexual assault received a tepid response from advocates...
Miami Herald: Senators differ on role for military brass in sexual assault cases
The Miami Herald reports: The Pentagon on Thursday unveiled new efforts to combat sexual assaults in the military, but it...
Al Jazeera America: Pentagon moves to curb sexual assault
Protect Our Defenders Advocacy Committee Member Colleen Bushnell and Communications Director Brian Purchia are featured in this article from Al Jazeera:...
Politico: DOD rolls out new sexual assault policies
Politico reports: Taryn Meeks, executive director of the victim advocacy group Protect our Defenders, questioned the Pentagon’s motivations for the...
Wall Street Journal: Pentagon Unveils Changes on Handling Sexual Assault
The Wall Street Journal Reports: Lawmakers and advocacy groups praised many of the steps, particularly the decision to expand pilot...
PBS Newshour: Does the Pentagon’s Plan Do Enough to Curb Sexual Assault in the Ranks?
Attorney Susan Burke discusses new Pentagon announcements on the PBS Newshour: Watch Does the Pentagon’s Plan Do Enough to Curb...
Stars and Stripes: Hagel formalizes new policies on sexual assault; no massive revisions to military justice code
Stars and Stripes reports: Pentagon officials on Thursday formally unveiled new sexual assault policies designed to bolster victim resources and...
Statement: Protect Our Defenders Says Pentagon’s Changes Still Fall Short of Fundamental Reform
Protect Our Defenders issued the following statement today: Washington DC – Today, the Pentagon announced changes to address the epidemic of...
Guest Blog: Why I support S.967 Military Justice Improvement Act
Thanks to Rosie Palfy for her guest blog post on serving in the U.S. Marines and why she supports Sen....
PRESS RELEASE: Protect Our Defenders Launches “Educate Your State” Initiative
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Aug 14, 2013 Contact: Brian Purchia, , brian@protectourdefenders.com *** PRESS RELEASE *** PROTECT OUR DEFENDERS LAUNCHES “EDUCATE YOUR STATE” INITIATIVE;...
The Key Differences: Gillibrand’s Amendment and Levin/McCaskill’s Proposal
We’ve received a lot of questions about two proposals in the Senate from people who are concerned about the way...
St. Louis Post-Dispatch: McCaskill on Meet the Press: No ‘coddling’ Pentagon on sexual assaults
St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports: Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., argued this morning on NBC’s “Meet the Press” that stripping commanders of...
National Journal: For Military Sexual-Assault Survivors, Proposed Reforms Are Only a Start
Brian Lewis, Protect Our Defenders Advocacy Committee member is featured in this National Journal article: “I don’t know if one...
[VIDEO] HuffPost Live: Senator Gillibrand LIVE
Huffington Post Live reports: For more, go here.
MSNBC: Will a Tea Partier take on military sex-assault
MSNBC reports: By announcing that she would challenge Sen. Lindsey Graham in the South Carolina Republican primary next year, Nancy...
[Video] Mediaite: John Oliver Scorches Military Sexual Assault Epidemic And The ‘Old Men’ Doing Nothing To Stop It
Mediate comments on John Oliver’s disgust of military sexual assault and his interview with Sen. Kirsten Gilibrand who is leading...
[VIDEO] The Daily Show: Interview with Senator Gillibrand
Senator Gilibrand on The Daily Show:
Bloomberg Businessweek: Pentagon Readies Sexual-Assault Rules Ahead of Congress Acting
Protect Our Defenders’ executive director in Bloomberg Businessweek: Taryn Meeks, executive director of Protect Our Defenders, an advocacy group backing...
San Antonio Express-News Commentary: Gillibrand fights for military justice reform
Hearst Washington Bureau Chief writes in San Antonio Express-News: In May, she introduced landmark legislation to transfer the decision-making on...
Capital New York: Gillibrand predicts a majority, and maybe 60, for her military reform bill
Capital New York reports: Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand said any new rules being drafted by the Defense Department to cover sexual...
[VIDEO] Politico: Darren Samuelsohn on military sexual assault issue
Politico reports: For more, go here.
STATEMENT: Protect Our Defenders says Pentagon’s proposed changes still fall short
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE August 8, 2013 PROTECT OUR DEFENDERS SAYS PENTAGON’S PROPOSED CHANGES STILL FALL SHORT OF FUNDAMENTAL REFORM Washington...
Politico: President Obama MIA on military sexual assault?
Politico reports: Obama could argue he’s still done more to stamp out sexual assault in the military than any other...
Salon: Military sexual assault victims accuse Bob Filner of harassment
Salon reports: Eldonna Fernandez told CNN that she met Filner at a National Women’s Veterans Association of America “Healing and...
New York Times: Pentagon Finishing Rules To Curb Sexual Assaults
The New York Times reports: The initiatives come amid a growing national awareness of sexual assault in the military. Critics,...
[VIDEO] MSNBC: ‘This message is coming from the top’: Sexual assault undermines the military
MSNBC reports: “I want you to hear it directly from me, the Commander-in -Chief,” Obama said, as the room grew...
Politico: Obama: Sexual assault ‘undermines’ the military
Politico reports: President Obama decried military sexual assaults on Wednesday, using his first public remarks on the issue in months...
Navy Times: Navy, Coast Guard to offer legal advisers for sex assault victims
Navy Times reports: The Navy is establishing a program to provide additional support and legal counsel to to victims of...